V. J 



THE ca:nadian journal. 



NE^W SERIES 



No. LXVIII. — APRIL, 1869. 



THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 



BY THE EEV. "WILLIAM HINCKS, P.L.S., 



PBOFESSOB OF NATURAL HISTORY, UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, TORONTO. 



Bead tefore the Canadian Institute, Jan. 16, 1869. 



Gentlemen of the Canadian Institute : 



In assuming the chair, your calling me to which is, I assure you, 

 regarded by me as a very high honour, though some circumstances in 

 my own position made me at first reluctant to accept it, I must follow 

 the usual custom in offering you a few considerations, suggested by the 

 occasion. But in my choice of topics, I have been led in a somewhat 

 unusual direction ; and I can only hope that matters which seem to me 

 to have a strong claim on our attention, may not prove unacceptable, or 

 try your patience too severely. 



I propose to bring under your notice some thoughts on the nature, 

 utility, proper aims and modes of operation of such Societies as this, 

 in which many of us take so lively an interest. In pursuing the sub- 

 ject, I may possibly offer opinions in which you may by no means all 

 agree with me, but you will do me the justice to believe that they are 

 not laid down dictatorially. They are thrown out for consideration and 

 discussion. I pretend only to give you my own ideas as they have 

 occurred to me, in comparing our condition and aims with those of 

 other similar Societies, and endeavouring to form rational and practical 

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