viii Preface, 



of the Society and its work ; and secondly, to show 

 that it has done very valuable work for humanity. 



I should be glad if a third should be attained. 

 The Society has made Manchester a scientific 

 centre for a whole century, and has done much to dis- 

 pose it to seek a University, and given it a right to 

 demand one — a right that has been conceded ; but at 

 no time has it ever received the slightest assistance 

 from without, and the world has allowed the scien- 

 tific men within the circle to do their own work 

 unaided. Of this no complaint has been made ; but 

 now, from some change not to be discussed, it Is con- 

 sidered that investigators require external aid ; and 

 I think it fair to say — and I do so without consulting 

 with the Society — that the giving public would do 

 well to consider the claims of this institution. The 

 Society requires money for several purposes, and the 

 account of its work is poor if I have not shown 

 that from its beginning it has had among its leading 

 men such as might be expected to be among the 

 foremost to make good use of that kind of assistance. 

 The chief demand at present comes to us from a 

 want of room ; our books are increasing, and we can 

 neither afford them sufficient shelter nor engage the 

 services of one who can give enough of his time. 

 Hitherto the work, and that not small, has been 



