34^ Literary and Philosophical Society, 



CHAPTER XIII. 



THE PRESENT TIME. 



It is not safe to speak of the present members, and, much 

 as the author longs to tell how he has admired personal 

 friends, he leaves this subject and proceeds only to give a 

 few remarks on the present state of the Society. It would 

 have been impossible, however, to leave out all reference 

 to Dr. Joule, but even regarding him too little, as has been 

 said, one might have enlarged with propriety on his scientific 

 works, now being collected by the Physical Society, as well 

 as on the many virtues which have endeared him to his 

 friends, and which make his private life as pleasing as his 

 scientific career is brilliant. We do not even describe Dr. 

 Edward Schunck, whose laboratory at Kersal is prob- 

 ably the finest private one in the country, and whose 

 long personal relations with the writer make the subject 

 tempting. Whilst writing this volume the President (Mr. 

 Binney) died, and the writer had the melancholy duty of 

 revising his work. It was Mr. Binney mainly who caused this 

 volume to be written. It would also have been pleasant to 

 remember more fully Mr. Baxendell, our Secretary, and to 

 describe him in his Observatory at Southport ; but all these 

 things seem forbidden by the circumstances of the case, 

 and it might be asked. Why is not every member who 



