iv.] CHOICE OF A PROFESSION, 1831. 77 



and attributing the alleged decline of science to defective 

 organization and the want of support of the State, he 

 naturally considered that an annual congress of scientific 

 men would afford the occasion which he desired of 

 stimulating their energies in a common pursuit, and of 

 impressing upon the attention of Government any disad- 

 vantages of a public nature under which the science of 

 Great Britain might be thought to labour. 



* Sir David Brewster brought his proposal under the 

 notice of his scientific friends in London, and being 

 fortunately in communication with Mr. Phillips of York, 

 now Professor of Geology at Oxford, the city of York, 

 the seat of one of the most flourishing of the provincial 

 societies, was fixed on for what was termed in the original 

 circular "a meeting of the friends of science," which 

 should take place in September 1831. The time appeared 

 in one respect unfortunately chosen. The excitement of 

 public feeling incident to the discussions on the Keform 

 Bill was so great, that the postponement of the meeting 

 was at one time contemplated. It however took place 

 without the smallest infusion of political bitterness. 



4 In an address, distinguished by thoughtful elabo- 

 ration, Mr. Harcourt propounded to his select auditory 

 at York a scheme for a British Association for the 

 Advancement of Science, of which he described the 

 aims and the working details with a completeness which 

 took his hearers somewhat by surprise, but in \\hieh 

 they found little to alter or amend ; and the constitution 

 proposed by Mr. Harcourt remains in all its important 

 details the working code of the Association to this day. 

 " I propose to you," he said, " to found an Association 

 including all the scientific stivnttli of Great Britain, which 

 shall employ a short time every year in pointing out the 

 lines of direction in which the researches of science should 

 move, in indicating the particulars which most imme- 

 diately demand investigation, in stating problems to be 

 solved and data to be fixed, in assigning to every 

 of mind a d-tinit<- ta-k. and suggcM in;_! to tin- memlM-iv* 

 that there is here a shore of which the soundings are to 



