HENRY, LORD BROUGHAM. II 



wide a relation to social and political science as the British Association does to 

 mathematical and physical science."* The Association met at Liverpool in 1858, 

 - Lord John Russell presiding. In 1859 the Association assembled at Bradford, 

 under the presidency of Lord Brougham; and last year, 1860, his Lordship again 

 presided, the meeting being held at Glasgow. The elaborate address of the noble 

 and learned Lord is far beyond the compass of these pages ; he touched upon 

 almost every public question of importance — political as well as social. Educa- 

 tion, parliamentary and law reform, the great "privilege question," pauperism, 

 intemperance, the policy of foreign governments, the volunteer movement, and 

 a host of other subjects, were discussed by the veteran orator. The over-talk in 

 the House of Commons, and the rejection of the Paper Duty Repeal Bill by the 

 House of Lords were anathematized; despotism was shown to have its uses as 

 well as abuses ; while Bomba II. was alluded to in these terms: — "Young in years 

 to have perpetrated such crimes! But Caligula died at eight-and-twenty, and 

 Heliogabulus at eighteen." In conclusion, the noble and learned Lord expressed 

 his warm approval of the volunteer movement. The delivery of the address occu- 

 pied two hours ; and at the close a vote of thanks, moved by Sir J. Pakiugton 

 and seconded by Lord Ardmillan, was awarded with acclamation to the venerable 

 president. 



A journalist of the event pleasantly remarked : — " Lord Brougham has been 

 engaged, if not in throwing any new light upon science itself, at least in showing 

 that age has as yet done nothing towards dimming his own faculties. His power 

 of marshalling laets, and his marvellous resources of language, have seldom been 

 more finely exhibited than at the Glasgow meeting. The warm and cordial 

 tributes which the leading men of Scotland, of all parties, have borne to Lord 

 Brougham's unequalled gifts, do honour to those who have uttered them so un- 

 grudgingly. We say this, claiming Lord Brougham as an Englishman and an 

 English lord." 



Another contemporary says : — " The English nation owes a debt of profouna 

 gratitude and veneration to this extraordinary man, who now, in his eighty- 

 second year, is labouring steadily and efficiently in the cause which he advocated 

 in evil days — now sixtj' years ago. "When the day comes — may it be a distant 

 one ! — when Henry Brougham is summoned away from amongst us, let it never 

 be forgotten that, at a period when to advocate such a doctrine was almost sup- 

 posed to savour of treason and sedition, Brougham was the steady advocate for 

 the Education of the People !" 



Lord Brougham's love of science has, for many years, led him from time to 

 time to several interesting investigations of the properties of Light, which have 

 been chronicled in our Year-Book. Thus, in 1S49, his lordship made several 

 experiments in his delightful retreat at Cannes, in Provence, by an apparatus 

 executed by If. Soleil, of Paris, and with the aid of a heliostate for fixing the 

 sunbeam in one position during the day. The results were communicated by 

 Sir David Brewster to the British Association in 1849. t 



In the following year Lord Brougham read to the Royal Society the above 

 experiments and observations, which he described as conducted under most 

 favourable circumstances, arising from the climate of Provence, where they 

 were commenced, being peculiarly adapted to such studies. Be referred also to 

 Soleil's most excellent set of instruments and delicate apparatus, only required 

 for experiments depending upon nice measurements. The results of these expe- 

 riments are thrown into the form of definitions and propositions, in order to 

 subject his doctrines to a fuller scrutiny.J 



In 1853, Lord Brougham communicated to the Royal Society " Further Ex- 

 periments and Observations on the Properties of Light," wherein the author con- 



* The reader will find an able paper by Mr. Charle3 Knight, on the objects of 

 the Association, in the Companion to the Almanack for 1858. In his address at 

 Birmingham, Lord Brougham gave some interesting facts and results of the 

 working of the Useful Knowledge Society. 



Lord Brougham's services as chairman of the Useful Knowledge Society were 

 such, that notwithstanding he had to preside in the House of Lords and the 

 Court of Chancery, and was at the head of eight or ten public associations, he 

 was most punctual in his attendance, always contriving to be in the chair at the 

 hour of meeting. 



t Tear-Book of Facts, 1849, p. 145. + Ibid. 1851, p. 147. 



