100 THE LIFE OF JAMES I). FORBES. [CHAP. 



advantageous to Scotland was made to us. Circum- 

 stances which took place at Oxford will, however, at 

 once occur to you as showing that a more decided part 

 is necessary. With a view to put another place between 

 the two Universities, Liverpool, certainly the best place 

 in Britain, was suggested. When, however, it was found 

 that no offers had been made no representation from the 

 existing provincial Society, the idea was abandoned. 

 Since the place and time must be fixed within a few 

 days after the meeting of the body, there is no leisure 

 for preliminary inquiry, and the promptitude of the 

 Provincial Societies, to which the Association chiefly 

 looks for support, must decide the matter. You may 

 remember at Oxford a most pressing application on 

 behalf of Ireland was made by the Astronomer Royal 

 of Dublin, but was set aside on the feeling that Great 

 Britain should first be visited, and, most specially, that 

 Edinburgh had a prior claim to Dublin. When I think 

 of all this, when I remember the strongly expressed 

 desire of some of the first scientific men in England to 

 visit or re-visit Edinburgh, and when I think of the 

 immense advantage which such a reunion could not fail 

 to produce upon scientific men here an advantage 

 which but a year or two ago might have appeared 

 chimerical I am convinced that you will join with 

 me in thinking that we are in every point of view bound 

 to send a warm invitation to the Cambridge meeting. 

 From the feeling which was shown towards Scotland at 

 both the preceding meetings, I have no doubt that the 

 offer would be accepted, though I am sure it will be met 

 by others from various parts of the kingdom, and par- 

 ticularly from Dublin, the Association now enrolling 

 among its number the most distinguished members of 

 the Royal Irish Academy. 



' The Association is above being patronized now : 

 the honour conferred is on their side, the advantage on 

 that of the places of its annual migration. Both indi- 

 viduals and societies will now be ready enough to give 

 the aid which is no longer required, and which was 



