100 Canadian Record of Science. 



prevails we have no doubt our society will find, as all 

 other organizations have done, that union is strength. 

 Several of the other parts of the plan have been fairly tested 

 this year, and I am sure you will agree with me, most suc- 

 cessfully. 



The attendance of members has not been smaller, while 

 that of the general public has been considerable, so that 

 perhaps never before were the regular meetings as well at- 

 tended ; while the notices in the press prior to the meet- 

 ing and the reports afterwards, both of which emanated 

 from the Society, were a great improvement on the scanty 

 references of the past. 



The abstracts of the Somerville lectures supplied by the 

 lecturers, and kindly published by some of the newspapers 

 in full, were all that could be desired. 



This has entailed considerable labour, but it seems to me 

 that it is worth while, for in a community like ours we must 

 sow the seed of science beside all waters if we would see 

 even a little fruit. Those of scientific tastes have no more 

 excuse for exclusiveness or selfishness— of which there is 

 still surely more than enough in the world — than other 

 people. 



Thanks largely to the forethought and generosity of one 

 man, the Rev. Dr. Somerville, this society for about sixty 

 years has been in a position to invite those who would 

 to come to its annual feasts of popularized science. • 



That the courses of lectures have been the means of do- 

 ing great good there can be no doubt. It may be said that 

 without reference to age, sex, social position or any other 

 distinction thousands have been interested listeners during 

 the last half century to those unfoldings of nature's ways, 

 which have been attempted in this historic lecture course. 



May the Society never underestimate their importance, 

 and never cease to welcome the poor man and the poor 

 child, as well as the rich, who may wish to put themselves 

 under the ennobling influence of a loving contact with 

 nature and so attain to true scienee — real knowledge. 



For some years the Society has attempted to have the lee- 



