446 Address of the General Secretaries 



from our justice a grateful mention, because the science of 

 magnetism had no claim on him, beyond the interest felt in 

 every branch of science, by one to whom no part of its wide 

 field is strange, and the regard which a national undertaking 

 such as this deserved, from the person who occupies his di- 

 stinguished station amongst the leaders of British science. 



The advancement of human knowledge, which may be 

 reckoned upon as the certain consequence of the Antarctic 

 expedition (should Providence crown it with success), and of 

 the arrangements connected with it, is of so extensive a na- 

 ture, and of such incalculable importance, that no juster title 

 to real and lasting glory than it may be expected to confer, 

 has been earned by any country at any period of time; no- 

 thing has ever been attempted by England more worthy of 

 the place which she occupies in the scale of nations. When 

 much which now appears of magnitude in the eyes of politi- 

 cians has passed into insignificance, the fruits of this underta- 

 king will distinguish the age which gave it birth, and, engraved 

 on the durable records of science, will for ever reflect honour 

 on the scientific bodies which planned and promoted it, and 

 on the Government which, with so much liberality, has car- 

 ried it into effect. 



Were the value of this Association, Gentlemen, to be mea- 

 sured only by the part which it has taken in suggesting and 

 urging this one object, there might here be enough to satisfy 

 the doubts of those who question its utility : to overlook such 

 acts as these, and the power of public usefulness which they 

 indicate, to scrutinize with microscopic view the minute de- 

 fects incidental to every numerous assemblage of men, to 

 watch with critical fastidiousness the taste of every word which 

 might be uttered by individuals amongst us, instead of 

 casting a master's eye over the work which has been done, 

 and is doing, at our meetings, is no mark of superior discern- 

 ment and comprehensive wisdom, but is evidence rather of a 

 confinement to narrow views, and an indulgence of vain and 

 ignoble passions. 



But to proceed with our useful efforts, — one of the principal 

 objects of our Annual Volumes, is the publication in the most 

 authentic form of the results of special researches, under- 

 taken by the request, and prosecuted in many instances at 

 the cost, of the Association. It is a trite remark, that if a 

 man of talent has but fair play, he will soon secure to himself 

 his due place in public estimation. We fully admit the truth 

 of this in many instances, and above all where the points of 

 research are connected with commerce and the useful arts ; 

 but many also are the subtile threads of knowledge, which, 



