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Materialism, I would affirm this to be a field for the noblest exercise 

 of what, in contrast with the knowing faculties, may be called the 

 creative faculties of man. Here, however, I must quit a theme too 

 great for me to handle, but which will be handled by the loftiest 

 minds ages after you and I, like streaks of morning cloud, shall 

 have melted into the infinite azure of the past." 



If the " still unsatisfied human mind" of any present, " as the 

 yearning of a pilgrim for his distant home"— a feeling, not only ad- 

 mitted, but dwelt on by that philosopher as a necessary part of our 

 being — can find rest in the prospect there held out I am greatly 

 mistaken. Laying aside, for the moment, the light shed upon the 

 future by the Christianity which none present are, I trust, as yet 

 prepared to ignore, I am still persuaded that even the light of rea- 

 son, and the deductions of sound philosophy, will give us a more 

 consoling and substantial hope for the future than the prospect 

 that " you and I shall be like streaks of morning cloud, melting 

 into the infinite azure of the past." 



Having thus essayed to perform, however imperfectly, what I 

 again venture to designate a duty, both in respect of the interests 

 of true science and the position which your indulgence has as- 

 signed to me, I very willingly come to the fulfilment of another 

 more agreeable one, namely, to afford to those present some infor- 

 mation respecting the position and prospects of our Club. I may 

 also, perhaps, be permitted, as the occasion is a special one, to enter 

 into some details as to its origin and previous history. 



"The Belfast Naturalists' Field Club" started into existence in 

 the year 1863, and is now therefore but eleven years old. Its 

 origin is interesting, and may be briefly stated. An anonymous 

 correspondent, in one of the public journals of Belfast, called at- 

 tention to the want of such a club, as a means of uniting and en- 

 couraging in their common object and studies the friends of natural 

 history, many of whom were known to be residents in the town and 

 neighbourhood. This letter was responded to by two who are now 

 office-bearers in our society — then young'men — and this led to an 

 acquaintance with the writer of the letter above referred to, and 



