Miscellanies. 179 



fortresses of an Iron age, of arbitrary power, and although it is not 

 appropriate to this work, we shall still be pardoned in indulging the 

 wish that this favored abode may long remain sacred to science and 

 domestic happiness. 



2. British Association for the Mvancement of Science. — The sec- 

 ond meeting of the British Association for the advancement of Sci- 

 ence, was held at Oxford, on Monday, the 18th June, and continued 

 on the subsequent days of that week. It may be proper to recal to 

 the minds of our readers, that the first meeting of this great associa- 

 tion took place at York, last year, under the most distinguished pat- 

 ronage. The .present meeting, held within the venerable walls of 

 the University of Oxford, and under the'patronage of some of its 

 most distinguished ornaments, has been attended with the most bril- 

 liant success. 



Monday was occupied with preliminary arrangements, and espe- 

 cially the formation of sections and committees, in which the nume- 

 rous papers on different branches of science submitted to the associ- 

 ation on this occasion, were to be read, and where the votaries of 

 science were collected together to enjoy the advantages of a mu- 

 tual interchange of ideas. On the evening of that day, the mem- 

 bers of the Association were invited to attend at the Clarendon 

 building, for the purpose of scientific conversation. 



At ten o'clock on Tuesday morning, the following committees met 

 in different apartments of the Clarendon building : 



1. The Committee of Mathematical and Physico-Mathematical 

 Sciences. 



2. Of Chemistry, Electricity, Galvanism, Magnetism, and Mine- 

 ralogy. 



3. Of Geology and Geography. 



4. Of Natural History (including Medicine.) 



These committees appointed each its own chairman and secretary, 

 and were employed, between the hours often and one, in their res- 

 pective departments of science. At one o'clock the various commit- 

 tees met in the great theatre. Lord Milton, the president of the 

 preceding year, delivered an eloquent address, on resigning his du- 

 ties to Dr. Buckland, who, on taking the chair, opened the business 

 of the meeting by an appropriate speech. Professor Airey, of Cam- 

 bridge, then read bis promised report " on the state and progress of 

 astronomical science, in reference particularly to physical astrono- 



