viii Preface. 



"brought to their Meeting of 1840 a little book in 

 which in the interim I sketched about 400 varieties 

 of our choicest shells, and noted the habitats of many 

 of the rarest : and some of one little species which 

 I dredged in L. Strangford, and were the first that 

 were ever found in a living state in the kingdom, so 

 attracted the attention of Professor Edward Forbes, 

 and Sir William Jardine, that they, I believe with 

 others of kindred tastes, came to Ireland to search, 

 and were much pleased with what they found here. 

 From that time, engrossing engagements, professional 

 and domestic, for many years hindered me attending 

 the annual meetings : and now I find the subjects of 

 female education, and remunerative employment for 

 women, taking a prominent place in the considera- 

 tion of enlightened philanthropists ; and ornamen- 

 tal gardening in its various branches seems to present 

 a large field for such occupation. 



At page 1161 refer to the special importance which 

 the first Napoleon attributed to Music, for the atten- 

 tion of statesmen and other leaders of the public 

 mind ; and other men of great eminence have ranked 

 a fine taste for gastronomy and culinary art amongst 

 the most valuable endowments of philosophers. 



Henri on de Pensey, premier President of the 



