2 President's Remarks. [Oct. 2o, 



The President opened the proceedings with the following 

 remarks : Having now completed my year of office you will per- 

 haps think it becoming of me to say a few words on the present 

 occasion of our annual general meeting. I trust that during the 

 twelve months that I have been your president the Society has 

 had no reason to regret its choice. Beyond, however, returning 

 my sincere thanks to the Council and all the members of the 

 Society — but especially to the Treasurer and Secretaries — for the 

 kindness which I have invariably received at their hands, in the 

 discharge of my duties, I will not occupy your time by dwelling 

 at any length on the events of the past year. What I have to say 

 refers more to the future. 



First I would remark that the attendance at our meetings, 

 though I have no reason to believe it has generally fallen below 

 the average of the last few years, is certainly not so full as is to be 

 desired, and is, if I mistake not, considerably smaller than it used 

 to be in the days when I first knew the Society. It seems to me 

 that there is a very easy explanation of this fact. In former days 

 the customary hour of dinner in the University was much earlier 

 than it now is ; and, more than that, all or nearly all of the Colleges 

 dined at almost the same hour. Now, as you are aware, there is 

 a very great diversity in this respect, and this change of habits 

 appears to me to be obviously the prime cause of the small 

 attendance. I believe I am right in stating that those Colleges 

 which maintain the ancient practice of dining at a comparatively 

 early hour are now in a minority — certainly they are in a minority 

 as regards the number of members belonging to them. I speak 

 in the presence of those who will correct me if I am in error, but 

 I think that the hour of the Society's meetings has more than 

 once been changed in past time, and that we meet now at a later 

 hour than formerly. I would therefore venture to suggest that the 

 Society might find it advantageous to consider this subject once 

 more ; but it will be apparent, I think, to all that we cannot fix a 

 later hour than we have at present; and that, if any change be made, 

 it must be to one that is earlier. It will be within the knowledge 

 of several here present that some months ago the Royal Society de- 

 termined to try the experiment of holding its meetings at an earlier 

 hour — before instead of after dinner. The experiment has, I believe, 

 succeeded, I will not say to the full extent that some expected, but 

 at all events partially. I understand that the attendance has im- 

 proved, and that the new arrangement has been found convenient by 

 the most constant frequenters of the Society's meetings, whether 

 they be officials or not. I therefore cannot help throwing out the 

 hint that we might find it expedient to try the same experiment in 

 Cambridge, and to hold our meetings in the course of the afternoon. 



