194 SECTION PHYSICS. 



would have been formerly considered very recondite researches. All 

 are eager and anxious to learn something, if but little, of various 

 sciences, and to learn that little well. The fervour with which the 

 public take up these things react on scientific men themselves. Each 

 is anxious to do something in his vocation, and is only baffled 

 by finding that, however early he may have been in the field, some- 

 one else, either at home or abroad, has forestalled him. At this hour 

 it is not desirable to keep you any longer, but I would call your 

 attention when you go below to those four telescopes of the class I 

 have been mentioning as being so materially connected with the history 

 of astronomy. There is first Newton's original telescope in a paste- 

 board case, very likely the cover of an old copy-book ; there is a 

 telescope of Sir William Herschel's with which he began his re- 

 searches ; there is another of seven feet, although in rather an imperfect 

 condition ; and finally there is this ten-foot one, which is a very good 

 representative of the telescopes which he made when they became 

 with him an article of commerce. They will amply repay you for the 

 little attention you may bestow upon them, though they form such a 

 very sir^H portion of even the astronomical instruments in this grand 

 collection, which contains so vast a variety of interesting objects. 

 There : s the learning of a whole life here ; in fact the ordinary 

 Sp>in .rc'human ]'"e would hardly suffice for the study of all one sees ; 

 but in this one particular I am glad to have been enabled to say a few 

 words to show how improvement has gone on, and by what means ? 

 and what are our hopes for the future. 



The President here again took the Chair. 



Mr. DE LA RUE : The President wishes me to ask you to return 

 your thanks to Mr. Main, as he has not been here during the whole of 

 his address, which has dealt with some very important things. I may 

 say that I am intimately acquainted with the work which the Radcliffe 

 Observer is doing, and can attest that the observatory in his hands is 

 doing as good work, and that that work is as rapidly brought before 

 the public on the reduction of the observations as ever it was before 

 perhaps faster. He has alluded to Sir William Herschel taking down 

 to the observatory part of its first equipment namely, an eight or 

 nine inch reflector, and has alluded to the very inadequate instruments 

 which were for a long time employed when the observatory servilely 



