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The Chairman then addressed the Society as follows : 



GENTLEMEN, 



IT is known to you all that early in the summer our excellent 

 President suffered from an affection of the eyes, which was partially 

 relieved by an operation, and that he is now about to undergo a 

 second operation for the removal of a cataract. Under these cir- 

 cumstances, Sir Benjamin Brodie, prompted by his well-known un- 

 willingness to hold an office when temporarily disqualified for the 

 fullest performance of its duties, signified, by letter to the Council 

 towards the end of September, his desire to decline to be put in 

 nomination for the Presidency at the ensuing (that is the present) 

 election. The Council having duly considered Sir B. Brodie' s letter, 

 and looking forward with confident hope and expectation to the 

 recovery of his sight by the impending operation, were unanimously 

 of opinion that the interests of the Royal Society would be most 

 effectually promoted by his allowing himself to be again put in 

 nomination for the Presidency ; feeling assured also that his con- 

 senting to do so would be in accordance with the general wish of the 

 Society. The Council further requested me, as the Treasurer of the 

 Society, and in the absence of the President officiating as Chairman 

 of the Council, to communicate personally with Sir Benjamin Brodie 

 (then at Tunbridge Wells), and to convey the earnest hope of the 

 Council that he would comply with their wishes. Thus solicited, 

 Sir B. Brodie has consented to be again placed in nomination for the 

 office of your President. In making this communication, it is fitting 

 that I should add that, in the opinion of his medical advisers, the 

 probability of the operation which he is about to undergo being 

 successful in its issue is very strong, and that they have a con- 

 fident hope that his sight will be sufficiently restored to enable him 

 to reassume the duties in the spring, if it should now be your plea- 

 sure to re-elect him. 



Sir B. Brodie has placed in my hands an Address, which, had he 

 been able to have taken the Chair at this Anniversary Meeting, it 

 was his intention to have delivered himself. This address he has 

 requested me to read to you, which I shall proceed to do after I shall 

 have briefly noticed some subjects which have occupied the attention 

 of your Council in the past year, and on which it is desirable that 

 the Society should be informed. 



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