ADDRESS. 3 



British Science and the only receptacles of memoirs relating thereto. 

 Bat latterly, the division of labour, so general in industrial life, has 

 operated in giving rise to special Societies, such as the Astronomical, the 

 Linnsean, the Chemical, the Geological, the Geographical, the Statistical, 

 the Mathematical, the Physical, and many others. To both the earlier, or 

 more general, and the later or more special societies alike, the British 

 Association shows resemblance and affinity. We are general in our com- 

 prehensiveness ; we are special in our sectional arrangement ; and in this 

 respect we offer not only a counterpart, but to some extent a counterpoise, 

 to the general tendency to sub -division in Science. Further still, while 

 maintaining in their integrity all the elements of a strictly scientific body, 

 we also include, in our character of a microcosm, and under our more 

 social aspect, a certain freedom of treatment, and interaction of our 

 various branches, which is scarcely possible among separate and inde- 

 pendent societies. 



The general business of our meetings consists, first, in receiving and 

 discussing communications upon scientific subjects at the various sections 

 into which our body is divided, with discussions thereon ; secondly, in 

 distributing, under the advice of our Committee of Recommendations, 

 the funds arising from the subscriptions of members and associates ; and 

 thirdly, in electing a Council upon whom devolves the conduct of our 

 affairs until the next meeting. 



The communications to the sections are of two kinds, viz., papers 

 from individuals, and reports from Committees. 



As to the subject-matter of the papers, nothing which falls within the 

 range of Natural Knowledge, as partitioned among our sections, can be 

 considered foreign to the purposes of the Association ; and even many 

 applications of Science, when viewed in reference to their scientific basis, 

 may properly find a place in our proceedings. So numerous, however, 

 are the topics herein comprised, so easy the transition beyond these limits, 

 that it has been thought necessary to confine ourselves strictly within this 

 range, lest the introduction of other matters, however interesting to indivi- 

 dual members, should lead to the sacrifice of more important subjects. As to 

 the form of the communications, while it is quite true that every scientific 

 conclusion should be based upon substantial evidence, every theory com- 

 plete before being submitted for final adoption, it is not the less desirable 

 that even tentative conclusions and hypothetical principles when supported 

 by sufficient prima facie evidence, and enunciated in such a manner as to 

 be clearly apprehended, should find room for discussion at our sectional 

 meetings. Considering, however, our limitations of time, aud the varied 

 nature of our audience, it would seem not inappropriate to suspend, 

 mentally if not materially, over the doors of our section rooms, the 

 Frenchman's dictum, that no scientific theory ' can be considered complete 

 until it is so clear that it can be explained to the first man you meet in 

 the street.' 



A2 



