However, after about eight years of my experience of this 

 system, two important alterations were made in the government 

 and practice of this Institution. It was enacted that the President 

 should only hold office for two years, and that whilst the Autumn 

 Meeting was retained for the business requirements of the Society, 

 a Spring Meeting should be established for the sole and more 

 especial purpose of the reading and discussion of papers ; and thus 

 it came to pass that, in default of a Eeport from the Council to 

 initiate the latter meeting, my biennial predecessors in this chair 

 have all thought it becoming to welcome the audience by offering 

 some remarks of their own, which have always partaken more or 

 less of the form of an introductory address. 



Through the favour of the Society it is now my turn of office, 

 and I am too conscious of the obligations that I have incurred by 

 accepting this compliment not to feel desirous of following in the 

 footsteps of my predecessors, as far as my attempting to do so may 

 appear to me to be in accordance with the expectation of the 

 members. In venturing to do so, the tenour of the Society's 

 operations during the time they have fallen under my own obser- 

 vation will constitute the thread of my discourse ; as being a 

 subject unpretending in itself, and of such a nature nevertheless, 

 as to give promise, if dealt with frankly, of proving not devoid 

 of interest to my hearers. 



It is to be borne in mind, on the very threshold, that we do 

 not affect to be either a learned or a scientific Society ; insomuch 

 that, not to mention subordinate subscribers, we are in the habit 

 of incorporating as members, who enjoy the privilege of sharing 

 in the government of the Institution, all persons who are prepared 

 to pay the appointed annual subscription ; provided we deem them 

 likely to deport themselves decorously in that capacity ; — opening 

 our doors as freely to those whose sole motive in joining us is to 

 avail themselves of the advantages afforded by the Institution, or 

 merely to assist it pecuniarily for the benefit of others who may 

 seek to do so, as to those who contemplate placing their talents at 

 its service. 



There is no doubt that the dominant idea of this Institution 

 in the minds of its founders (to whose intelligence, energy, and 

 liberality we are so conspicuously indebted) was, as is still the aim 

 of the Eoyal Institution of Great Britain, just as much to provide 

 facilities for inculcating the knowledge of the day by means of 

 lectures and social gatherings, as to encourage the prosecution of 

 original research by the publication of papers, and that this 

 generosity of conception as to the qualifications for membership 

 was in strict keeping with their general purpose. It must be plain 

 that such an Institution as this could not have continued to 



