23 



liient Domain of Auckland is indebted for tlie tasteful development of 

 the natural beauties for which it is so justly celebrated. 



It would ill become me in addressing, as President, the Society of which 

 he was the actual suggester and founder, to conclude without reference 

 to my distinguished predecessor Sir George Grey. It was at his sugges- 

 tion, and with every encouragement and assistance from him, that eight 

 gentlemen in this city undertook and siiccessfully achieved the formation of 

 the New Zealand Society,— the parent, I may almost call it, of the New 

 Zealand Institute. During the whole of his New Zealand career. Sir 

 George Grey lost no opportunity of encoiiraging the pursuit of science ; 

 and, should he ever return to the colony, I feel certain that he would be 

 again found in the foremost ranks of those who labour to promote intel- 

 lectual activity among the colonists. I cannot forget the pleasant manner 

 in which, when as Secretary I announced to him his election as President 

 of the New Zealand Society, he said in his qiiizzical way, " I am glad 

 they have made the Presidency elective, for now I may hope some day 

 to see you elected." I must own that in those days 1 did not very con- 

 fidently foresee that such an honour would be conferred upon me. Now, 

 however, I may retort, and express a sincere hope that should Sir George 

 return, I may see him re-elected. 



I had purjiosed before closing my address, to call your attention to 

 the great benefits, moral and intellectual, which accrued to those who 

 gave their leisure to the pursuit of science. With this object, I had care^ 

 fully collected opinions of authors of the greatest weight, and enlivened 

 my lucubrations with, here and there, a quotation from authors sacred 

 and profane, classical and non-classical, practical or prosy, in support of 

 my thesis. But happening at last to glance at a slight work by one of 

 the most eminent statesmen of our day, I found there epitomized in a 

 paragraph all of vahie in my more lengthy labours ; therefore, desirous above 

 all things that you, especially the younger of you, should remember what 

 I had to say on this subject, and bearing in mind that "to speak little 

 commands the memory," I resolved without a regret to cast aside my 

 own prolixities, and strive to impress iipon you the simple words of the 

 statesman. 



It is Sir Robert Peel who speaks : — " Heed not the sneers and foolish 

 sarcasms against learning of those who are unwilling that you should 

 rise above the level of their own contented ignorance. Do not for a 

 moment imagine that you have not time for acquiring knowledge j it is 

 only the idle man who wants time for everything. The industrioxis man 

 knows the inestimable value of the economy of time, and amidst the 



