Helvetic iSociely. 369 



pist, at the birth of this society, the extension and consistency 

 which it has a quired have unquestionably much surpassed 

 them : and could we have the happiness to see him again 

 amongst us,* he would enjoy with enthusiasm the circum- 

 stance which now unites upon the northern limits of Swit- 

 zerland, in a little town, deprived of the resources with 

 which the greater number of its sisters of the confederation 

 are richly provided, the elect of the naturalists of Helve- 

 tia, under the laudable aim of reciprocating their information 

 and their discoveries, of enjoying the personal relations 

 which every succeeding year enhances in their estimation, 

 and of congratulating each other in belonging to a country 

 which the Creator has endowed with his noblest gifts. 



Welcome — thrice welcome, my dear friends and col- 

 leagues, — you, whose presence now animates and adorns our 

 happy town! 1 salute you in behalf of those of our venera- 

 ble magistrates, who honour us with their presence, and in 

 behalf of our government, which deigns liberally to encourage 

 our efforts by a donation of 600 francs. I salute you in the 

 name of my beloved fellow-citizens, who rival each other in 

 their desires to evince to you their hospitality, and who 

 would be glad to retain you a long time in the midst of their 

 families; and I salute you in behalf of our Cantonal society, 

 of which I am at present the organ, and which will have to 

 offer you, at this session, the modest tribute of its labours of 

 the year. But the exercise of the presidency to which I 

 find myself called, — of a function so new to me, inspires me 

 with a just and well founded apprehension. The fresh recol- 

 lection of the superior men who have acquitted themselves 

 of this duty in so distinguished a manner; the comparison of 

 my feeble means with those with which they have been en- 

 dowed and of which they have giveii proofs, alarms me in 

 the highest degree. I have need of all your indulgences, my 

 dear and honoured colleagues ; and I claim it with anxiety, 

 and in the name even of that benevolence, which assigned to 

 me, at our last aiinual meeting, the suffrages, in virtue of 

 which I have the honour now to address yojj. 



In conformity to the example of my learned predecessor, 

 Professor Bronner, I shall endeavour to trace out succinctly 

 the discoveries made in natural science since our last annual 



* Mr. Gosse, founder of the society, who was removed by death a few 

 months after its first formation. 



Vot, IX,— No, i>. 47 



