372 Miscellaneous. 



where we saw that the dignity of well informed men was somewhat 

 lost sight of in an attempt to make an impression on an audience, 

 which they supposed were not all capable of following- the drier or 

 deeper points of science, which would necessarily require to have 

 been treated of. 



There is still another little failing- of correctness of arrangement 

 which we must notice, — fully convinced that, if such matters of little 

 moment in themselves remain unchecked, they would in time inflict 

 a wound which would often become irksome, and eventually refuse 

 to be soothed by mild or ordinary treatment. On the platform erect- 

 ed for the evening meetings, and on which the General Committee 

 or foreignei'S only have a right be present, a table has of necessity to 

 be devoted for the accommodation of the President and the gentlemen 

 officially connected with the meeting; around this we observed the 

 scions of some noble houses regularly to take their seats, to the ex- 

 clusion of some of the Presidents of the sections, and other officers 

 who might have been called on in the course of business. We 

 would always wish rank to assume its station, and rank with science 

 combined has our highest homage ; but it must be recollected that in 

 these meetings the attainments of the individuals are the test of their 

 distinction ; and the office-bearers in the sections being elected as 

 the most fitting persons to fill these honourable stations, their places 

 should have been reserved during the short period they had been 

 thus honoured by their fellow members. Let us entreat the Associa- 

 tion to beware how they thus act again. Let the selection be made 

 as rigorously as possible, but when it has been made, let the chosen 

 officers be treated as such ; at the same time, let rank and title have 

 its highest and fullest influence. Hitherto we think the Association 

 has acted most wisely. In the election of its Presidents, it has, in 

 the first place, run through a list of names high famed for sci- 

 entific acquirements ; and latterly it has entered on a few whose 

 names are alike noble for their rank, and for the manner in which the 

 different branches of science have been prosecuted or patronized by 

 them ; and admiring the way in which this has hitherto been con- 

 ducted, we have been the more particularly induced to make the pre- 

 ceding observations, feeling that if the least inroad is permitted either 

 of this undue deference to men of high degree, or of the slightest 

 taint of party or political bias, we must bid farewell to all our delight 

 in these meetings, and to our anticipations of the great and extended 

 utiUty which we at present think theBRiTisii Association may afford 

 to individuals of every profession. 



