Address of the President. 209 



structure concealed in our coal, are to be reconstructed yet 

 the forms of vegetation of ages anterior to human life — from 

 these also are to be re-established in their outlines the animals 

 of now long gone-by times — there are to be re-organised by an- 

 atomical comparison, triumphantly perhaps from a single bone, 

 the colossal creatures of a former world. The youth, who has 

 learnt here by applied science to measure the altitude of stars, 

 the courses of the planets and their satellites, may plunge, 

 depending on the guidance of his faithful instruments, at 

 once from settled homes into the field of exploration, and 

 may reap the lasting laurels of his learning on his native soil. 

 How glorious, then, if ere long our meeting shall narrate all 

 the successes and achievements of the explorers sent from 

 hence; if the volumes of the Institute shall, first of all, unfold 

 the maps of mountain chains, of watercourses, of pasture- 

 tracts, where now the eye is wandering over the vacant 

 chart ; or if the vivid sketches of the artist more eloquently 

 still shall bring before our view the dreary desert, the wild 

 romantic glens, and the scenes of nomadic life ! That as yet 

 the pages of our volumes do not embrace the records of fresh 

 geographic research, initiated here, is much deplored by all 

 of us. Prudence demands, however, that for executing the 

 extensive plan sketched out for the Victorian Expedition, the 

 aid of Camels and Dromedaries should be employed. Ere long, 

 however, we are confident, the expedition thus strengthened 

 will be organised. All augurs thus far well. Important geo- 

 graphical discoveries, as well in the north-western interior of 

 South Australia as in the regions stretching north-east of 

 Sharks' Bay, have recently not only diminished the distances 

 between the points explored, but have also disclosed, un- 

 expectedly, such features of the Australian interior as in all 

 likelihood will render the work of the Victorian explorers 

 much less hazardous and more hopeful than before. By the 

 additional liberal support of Government, the means shall 

 be afforded to the travellers of extending their operations 

 over a space of time probably sufficient for connecting all the 

 main points of former surveys of the interior. The objects 

 of scientific organization are manifold — one of high interest is 

 to understand our time and to respond to its call. 

 Living in an age no longer content with advancing isolated 

 doctrines, we have been guided by a brilliant star (rising in 

 incomparable lustre on the firmament of science) to those 

 generalisations by which are brought in universal contact the 

 distant departmentsof knowledge, whilst in their grand reactions 



