Scientific Lectures. 197 



project?" It being a post-prandial discussion, I felt at liberty to 

 reply as follows : " Our late Chief Magistrate (Mr, Lincoln), as you 

 know, had a happy faculty of expressing his opinion by an illustra- 

 tive story, and with such high national authority, I will adopt the^ 

 same method of answering your question. During the Peninsular 

 war, an officer of Wellington's army, on his march to attack a strong 

 fortress in Spain, was met by a brother officer, who naturally inquired 

 the object of the movement. " "What ? " said he, " To capture (so 

 and so), why man it is impossible." " Impossible ? " repeated his 

 friend, " not at all, for I have the Dulie's order in my pocket." And 

 so with the modern engineer, with the l)anker''s order in his pocket, 

 lie considers almost nothing as impossible. 



Mr. Greeley presented the following resolutions, which were unani- 

 mously adopted by tile meeting : 



In view of the entertainment and instruction afforded by the course 

 of scientific lectures which has been closed this evening, 



Hesolved, That the thanks of the audience are hereby tendered to 

 the American Institute and the scientific gentleman for the highly 

 instructive entertainments thus provided. 



liesolved, That the American Institute be requested to have this 

 coui-se of lectures published in book form. 



