28 CONNECTION OF BATH WITH THE 



At the beginning of this Association there were 

 some who doubted whether its meetings could be 

 made to conduce to any useful and valuable purpose. 

 Again was heard that Bath was a Corinth, not an 

 Athens. Experience has shown that the remark was 

 here as inapplicable as before. No one can have 

 attended the meetings of the last session, and not 

 acknowledge that the subjects brought before us 

 were worthy the attention of a company of literary 

 and scientific inquirers, and that the communications, 

 particularly those in the departments of science and 

 natural history, were fraught with much pleasant 

 and useful, and in many instances novel, curious, and 

 valuable information. 



Let us, however, remember that our existence to 

 any good purpose is not to be maintained without 

 some effort. Our little engrafted branch may dwindle, 

 wither, and die. We must not press too closely upon 

 the zeal of a few contributors. We must seek for 

 that variety which only the co-operation of many can 

 ensure. There are amongst us those who possess 

 much valuable information, who have been content 

 to listen while they might have instructed. Let such 

 bear in mind what is said of celata virtus in a maxim 

 which was familiar to our youth; and let all come 

 forth, especially, with any new and curious results to 

 which their literary or scientific researches may have 



