2l6 THE ADDRESSES, LECTURES, ETC., OF 



mention such names as Lavoisier, Laplace, Ampere, and Arago, in 

 order to remind them of so many fixed stars who had illumined 

 the firmament of science. Modern science was in a great measure 

 created by these men, and this country might well be proud to 

 possess such an academy as the " Academic des Sciences." They 

 had to-night three members of that Academic amongst them. The 

 French Academic des Sciences corresponded to the Royal Society, 

 with this difference, that its members were fewer in number, and 

 it might be assumed that their quality was thus rendered more 

 select ; however that might be, he (the Chairman) thought it one 

 of the highest distinctions he could boast of to be a Fellow of the 

 Royal Society, and he felt additional pleasure to do honour in their 

 name to the French Academic. Among other establishments in 

 France for the cultivation of science, he would mention the 

 " Ecole des Mines," which they had that day visited under the 

 distinguished guidance of MM. Dupoiit and Lan, who had so 

 kindly taken them over that great establishment. They had, 

 further, the " Societe" d'Encouragement," who had so hospitably 

 placed their rooms at the disposal of the Institute. That in- 

 stitution had done a great deal of good in promoting the interests 

 of industry, and was under the able presidency of M. Dumas, 

 Membre de 1'Academie. Then they had what, to use an Irishism, 

 might be called a French-British Association, a body correspond- 

 ing entirely with our British Association ; and he was happy to 

 say that he had the .eminent President of that Society on his left, 

 M. Fremy. Last, but not least, there was the " Societe des 

 Ingenieurs Civils," which corresponded to the English Institution 

 of Civil Engineers, although, perhaps, in that instance, they might 

 claim to be the older and more important body of the two, inasmuch 

 as they represented civil engineering in all its branches. Yet the 

 French Institution gave promise of great results, and was at this 

 moment under the able presidency of M. Tresca, who was on his 

 right. These were the principal scientific bodies that occurred to 

 him at that moment, and without further comment he would 

 propose " Prosperity to the Scientific Institutions of France," 

 coupling with the toast the respected names of M. Fremy and 

 M. Tresca. 



