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of my own unworthiness for the post I hold, and to say that nothing would 
have induced me to occupy the position could I have foreseen what my 
acceptance of the high office you have conferred upon me would have 
entailed. My only claim to that honour is, that I happen to be one of the 
first promoters of the Society ; for it was I and two or three others, who 
met together in a back room, many years ago, and then effected the inaugur- 
ation of it. Since then it has gone on from good to better, and from better to 
best, until it has reached the position it has now attained. (Hear, hear.) We 
have all heard the Address that has been read to-night. No doubt, there 
are many here who comprehended it better than I did. While it was 
being read my mind was working in this way—and I am afraid some of 
yours, also, may have worked in a similar manner,—I framed in my own 
mind a syllogism. The syllogism ran thus : The President ought to know a 
great deal ; actually, the President knows little or nothing ; therefore, the 
man who holds that position ought not to be President. (Laughter.) I may 
however, say that the admirable Address to which we have listened was full 
of learning and point, and, what I did comprehend, I very much relished. 
I have, at any rate, learned this from the Address,—that in reading and 
writing there is an absolute necessity for clear and decided conception, and 
a clear and decided mode of utterance and expression, in order that what is 
passing in your mind may be rendered for the benefit of all. You cannot 
impress others unless you conceive clearly and express logically and neatly. 
I will here relate an incident that will, I think, aptly illustrate this. The late 
Sir Robert Peel told me, on one occasion, a remarkable story. There was, 
he said, a small party at his own house at Drayton, comprising himself, that 
eminent engineer, the elder Stephenson, Sir William Follett, the great lawyer, 
and Dr. Buckland, the well-known geologist. Dr. Buckland was a very voluble 
man,—a man of great native eloquence. His talk flowed like a torrent. 
After dinner the conversation turned upon coal-mines, and a variety of matters 
relating to engineering. Dr. Buckland poured forth all his stores of informa- 
tion on these things, while Stephenson, who was full of practical knowledge, and 
whose mind was replete with every detail connected with this department of 
science, tried to get in a few sentences; but whenever he uttered half a 
dozen words, Dr. Buckland overpowered him, and poor Stephenson had to sit 
dumbfounded. Follett, shortly after this, said to Peel: —‘‘Stephenson, clearly, 
knows everything, and Dr. Buckland very little about the practical part of the 
subject. I should like to set this right.” He very soon did so. Follett was 
one of the most dexterous and able lawyers at the bar, a man of remarkable 
eloquence, with great power and quickness of intellect, and one of the most 
logical orators the world ever heard. He spoke to Stephenson on the 
subject of the recent conversation and got crammed brimful of information. 
After dinner, the next day, they very adroitly renewed the discussion. 
Buckland began ; Stephenson said nothing. Follett took up the cudgels 
and fought the whole battle out, so completely turning over the Professor 
that he had not a word more to say. He was, in fact, as completely 
dumbfounded as Stephenson had prem the day before. After this, 
Ea 
