FIRST MEETING 25 



attend especially to the important object of obtaining 

 reports in which confidence may be placed, on the 

 recent progress, the actual state, and the deficiencies 

 of every department of science. 



' On the last of these points I beg leave to quote 

 the opinion of an able and zealous philosopher, the 

 Professor of Mineralogy at Cambridge, who has been 

 prevented by his public duties at the University from 

 attending the meeting, but who nevertheless takes 

 the deepest interest in its objects. A collection of 

 reports, says Professor Whewell, concerning the 

 present state of science, drawn up by competent 

 persons, is on all accounts much wanted ; in order 

 that scientific students may know where to begin 

 their labours, and in order that those who pursue 

 one branch of science may know how to communicate 

 with the inquirer in another. For want of this know- 

 ledge we perpetually find speculations published 

 which show the greatest ignorance of what has been 

 done and written on the subjects to which they refer, 

 and which must give a very unfavourable impression 

 of our acquirements to well-informed foreigners. . . . 



' It is evident that if the plan which I have thus 

 far explained should be carried into effect, the 

 deliberations of the Committee to be formed at the 

 present meeting will provide the chief materials 

 for the considerations of the next. Those investiga- 

 tions and those surveys of science which shall have 

 been suggested and procured by the committees 

 and officers of the Association will be entitled to 

 the priority, though other communications may be 

 accepted as far as the duration of the session will 

 allow. Professor Whewell conceives " that if this 

 meeting were to request from one or two among the 

 most eminent men in the various branches of science, 



