viii Address of Mr J. W. Clark, President, 



At this meeting Professor Farish delivered an address, as also 

 did Dr E. D. Clarke. His biographer says : 



" Of this scheme [of founding a Philosophical Society at Cambridge] 

 whose direct object was the promotion of science, and its natural 

 tendency to raise the credit of the University, Dr Clarke was of course 

 one of the earliest and one of the most zealous promoters ; and as it 

 was thought advisable, that some address should be provided ex- 

 planatory of the design and objects of the Institution, he was requested 

 by a sort of temporary council to draw it up. Accordingly he under- 

 took the task, and his address having been read at the first meeting, 

 was afterwards printed by order of the Society, and circulated with 

 the first volume of their Transactions ; although for some reason it 

 was not connected with the volume. Nor did his anxiety for the 

 support and honour of the Society rest here ; he wrote letters to almost 

 all the literary men of his acquaintance, to request their co-operation 

 and support; combated with great spirit in several instances, the 

 opposition that was made to it from others ; and during the short 

 remainder of his life, contributed three papers, which were printed in 

 the first volume of their Transactions 1 ." 



Dr Clarke's address is brief, and is chiefly occupied with pointing 

 out the advantage of having a society to gather together scientific 

 observations which, if scattered through journals, might escape 

 notice altogether. It concludes with the following practical sug- 

 gestions : 



"Having thus set before the Society the main design and objects 

 of its Institution, the Council beg to call the attention of this Meeting 

 to considerations of a subordinate nature. It will be necessary to 

 provide some place in which the future Meetings may be held, and 

 where a repository may be found for the preservation not only of the 

 archives and records of the Society, but also of such documents, books, 

 and specimens of Natural History, as may hereafter be presented or 

 purchased. The utmost economy will at present be requisite in the 

 management of the Society's funds ; and therefore if the consent of 

 the University could be obtained it would be highly desirable that the 

 expenses of printing the Society's Transactions should be defrayed by 

 the University. His Royal Highness the Chancellor 2 has accepted 

 of the Office of Patron, and his Letter, containing the expression of his 

 approbation, will be read by one of the Secretaries. The present Yice- 

 Chancellor 3 ; our High Steward 4 ; both our Representatives in Parlia- 

 ment 5 ; and many other distinguished Members of the University, 

 who are not resident, have also contributed towards the undertaking ; 

 and there is therefore every reason to hope that the Graduates of 

 this University, who associated for the Institution of the Cambridge 



1 The Life and Remains of the Rev. E. D. Clarke, LL.D. By W. Otter. 4to. 

 Lond. 1824, p. 650. 



2 H. E. H. the Duke of Gloucester. 



3 Mr Serjeant Frere, Master of Downing College. 4 Lord Hardwicke. 



5 Viscount Palmerston, M.A. St. John's Coll., and J. H. Smyth, M.A. Trin. Coll. 



