THE president's ADDRESS. 105 



or political distinctions. This was most happily evinced during last 

 summer in the meetino^ of the American Association for the advance- 

 ment of Science, held by special invitation, at Montreal ; an assembly 

 which seems to have been — as it was well to be hoped and expected — 

 alike gratifying to the members of learned Associations there assem- 

 bled, and to the inhabitants of the city whose hospitality was so freely 

 tendered and so frankly received. Possibly the universal desire to 

 extend a hearty welcome to their visitors, joined to that thirst for 

 knowledge which is characteristic of the fairer part of the Creation, 

 by causing " a gay assemblage of ladies which graced the entertain- 

 ment," may have produced among the more susceptible of the scien- 

 tific assemblage a somewhat divided homage, which the sterner votaries 

 — anchorites, who had for the occasion emerged from their stiidious 

 cells, — disapproved of, as inconsistent with the devotion due alone at 

 the shrine in whose honor they had met. But it is also satisfactory to 

 find that many valuable contributions to science were made in the 

 different addresses delivered and papers read, and that the kindly 

 feeling created by the visit of the Canadian deputation to Albany in 

 the preceding year was strengthened by the Congress of Scientific 

 men, American and British, gathered at Montreal. We, as Canadi- 

 ans, maj also be permitted to indulge in an honest self- congratulation 

 at the position maintained at both places by our scientific represen- 

 tatives. 



I must be allowed to state to you, for it was to my position as your 

 President that I attr'ibute the distinction, that during my recent 

 visit to England, I was a guest at the Celebratioji of the 

 104'tli Anniversary of the Society for promoting Arts, Manu- 

 factures and Commerce, on the 2p3rd June last, and sat Jiext the 

 noble Lord who presided on that occasion. The gratification. 

 I there experienced in the Society of many men of distinguished 

 reputation in various branches of Science and Art, was greatly 

 enhanced by the reflection, tliat my invitation was a mark of friendly 

 interest and regard for this Colonial Institute with which it Avas my 

 good fortune to be thus connected, and was an evidence of the in- 

 creasing interest felt at home in the advancement and prosperity of 

 Canada. 



It is the hope that our Institute may in time accomplish for this 

 Province what tlie Eoyal Societies of London and Edinburgh, and 

 other kindred societies such as the one I have just referred to, have 

 done for Great Britain, that must animate us to perseverance and 

 additional exertion. "We may confidently look for all the encourage- 



