Inaugural Address 



—OF— 



Delivered November 17 th, 1818. 



"Gentlemen of the Association : 



When the President of such a society as this entdrs upon the dis- 

 charge of his duties, it is customary for him to deliver an address. I 

 follow the custom; but, instead of talking upon a scientific subject as 

 is generally done, I confine my thoughts to the work of our Asso- 

 ciation. 



Our constitution declares that the objects of our meetings shall be : 



1. The cultivation of Physical and Historical Science. 



2. The study of the country surrounding us, and its inhabitants. 



3. The cultivation of a scientific taste in the community. 



4. The mutual acquaintance of scientific students. 



I suppose the most prominent thought one has, when he hears the 

 first object stated, is the question, Why are the two classes of science, 

 Physical Science and Historical Science, connected? It is not usual 

 for such societies as this to aim at more than one class ; and, in this 

 ■age of specialties, if we would do good work, we must confine our at- 

 tention within as narrow limits as possible. 



I would answer that the two are connected in this society, because 

 Iby nature they are connected. No one knows a subject when he is 

 acquainted with it in its present phase only. Since scientists have 

 studied the antiquity of the human race, their views of ethnology 

 have been materially changed. The study of paleo -botany has 

 ■changed some old views of modern botany. That man has an influ- 

 ■ence on the earth is admitted; and, in order to trace this influence, 

 we must have the aid of historical sciences. A writer in the Encyc. 

 Brit, groups the mathematical and physical sciences, claiming that 

 "with the exception of magnetism and electricity all the so-called 

 physical sciences have been aided largely by the mathematical. 

 Though it may be submitted whether or not the mathematical sciences 



