2 New Zealand Institute. 



nients of "Western civilization were marvellous ; it was sometMng to see in 

 Egjrpt, — the cradle of learning, and tlie tomb of a past civilization, — Western 

 Europe taking back to her tbe results of a little seed wbicb ages ago bad 

 been sown on the banks of tbe migbty Nile. In Greece the same meta- 

 morpbosis was in progress. Eome, too, was being elevated from its ruins. 

 Tbis truly was a great fact, — it was also gratifying. "We in ISTew Zealand 

 were not bebindband, but were engaged in tbe "beroic work " described by 

 Lord Bacon in tbe words quoted by His Excellency ; — we were bere to lay 

 tbe basis of a true civilization ; not only to subdue nature and till tbe soil, 

 but, impelled by Anglo-Saxon ardour and energy, to develop all tbat was 

 wortby of development. It was not usual to offer a vote of tbanks on sucb 

 occasions, but as Sir Gr. Bowen bad evinced so deep an interest in tbe 

 Institute, be (Mr. Fox) would call on tbe assembly to express tbeir gratifi- 

 cation by acclamation ; wbicb was cordially responded to. 



His Excellency tbanked Mr. Eox heartily for bis eloquent speech, and 

 referred to the gratification which he (Sir Gr. Bowen) bad felt in examining 

 a most valuable series of sketches which Mr. Eox had lent to tbe Museum, 

 as one of the results of his recent travels. It gave him great pleasure to 

 take part in reunions of that kind, and to meet the members of all political 

 parties on tbe neutral ground of Science and Literature. He was sure that 

 all present rejoiced with him at the presence among them that evening of an 

 officer of the Imperial Navy of France,* of tbat great navy which had sent 

 forth to tbe exploration of the Southern Seas a La Perouse, a Baudin, a 

 Bougaiaville, a D'Entrecasteaux, and other famous seamen wortby to stand 

 in history by the side of our own immortal navigator Captain Cook. He 

 (the Governor) would remind the audience that next year a hundred years 

 would have elapsed since Captain Cook first set his foot on the shores of 

 New Zealand, and he would suggest that some celebration of this centenary 

 should take place under the auspices of the Institute. As he had said 

 before reading bis inaugural address, be was glad to see present so many of 

 the fair votaries of science, and he would address them in all seriousness in 

 the words of one of the greatest thinkers as well as soldiers and statesmen 

 that the world had ever seen : one, too, who was not liable to be swayed in 

 matters of thought by the charms of female society. Napoleon Buonaparte 

 had said, " Almost everything in tbe future man depends on his mother." 

 If, then, study is requisite for the men who are to rule the world, is it not 

 also requisite for those who are to form the men ? — whose blessed duty it is 

 to instil those early habits of industry and lessons of virtue on which the 

 future destiny of life depends. It is thus that women will best discharge 



* Capt. Villemseus, H.I.M.S. " Dorade." 



