The Present of the Society. 355 



centre at last ; whilst false fame, or fame forced too soon, is 

 thrust from it. One advantage in having many centres is 

 that more men are satisfied, or fewer men are left with a 

 feeling of neglect. The greater centre is better fed by 

 the lesser, and certainly to be at a provincial centre is 

 much the safest for all men, and the surest way to gain 

 confidence. On the other hand, to the man who loves 

 science and thinks nothing of fame — and of this class there 

 really are a few — a provincial society is by far the plea- 

 santest place in which to publish and discuss his ideas; 

 there is less of jealousy and envy, and less of selfish 

 opposition ; as at football so in many scientific societies, 

 he who kicks and elbows most violently is the most pro- 

 minent, although he may kick the shins instead of the ball. 



It is much to be desired, for these reasons, that calm 

 and eager societies should increase. They may be satisfied 

 to feed those of the metropolis, but not to be controlled 

 in any way by them, and the larger cities such as Man- 

 chester may be serviceable in giving encouragement. We 

 must finish with a cheerful hope that the work of the 

 past will successfully encourage the future, and that the 

 success which we have received in our isolation will be still 

 greater when we have entered into union with our fellows, 

 and that the speed of our work will be increased in accord- 

 ance with the speed that seems to be gained of late by 

 exertions in every department of knowledge, and even 

 in every department of the thinking power itself. 



It may be here mentioned that the constitution of the 

 Society has been so far altered that there are now sections for 

 different departments of science, and more may be formed 

 at any time according to the demand. The physical and 

 mathematical section and the natural history and micro- 



A A 2 



