562 Meeting of the British Association. [Oct, 



confidence in self broke down one after the other, and the un- 

 fortunate speaker went on stumbling unsupported through confused 

 commonplace and feeble platitude." 



Physical Science. (Section A.) 



The proceedings in this Section were opened by an introductory 

 address, delivered by the President of the Section, Sir Win. Thom- 

 son, F.B.S. It was very short, and was delivered mainly to give 

 the speaker an opportunity of adding his tribute to the memory of 

 the great man whose loss all cultivators of physical science deplore. 

 He said he should not attempt to give any account of Faraday's dis- 

 coveries and philosophy — those live for us still. He wished he could 

 put in words something of the image which the name of Faraday 

 always suggested to his mind. Kindliness and unselfishness of 

 disposition ; clearness and singleness of purpose ; brevity, simplicity 

 and directness ; sympathy with his audience or his friend ; perfect 

 natural tact and good taste ; thorough cultivation — all these he had, 

 each to a rare degree ; and their influence pervaded his language 

 and manner, whether in : conversation or lecture. But all these 

 combined made only a part of Faraday's charm. He had an inde- 

 scribable quality of quickness and life. Something of the light of 

 his genius irradiated all with a certain bright intelligence, and gave 

 a singular charm to his manner, which was felt by every one, from 

 the deepest philosopher to the simplest child who ever had the 

 privilege of seeing him in his home — the Eoyal Institution. That 

 light is now gone from us. While thankful for having seen and 

 felt it, we cannot but mourn our loss, and feel that, whatever good 

 things may yet be in store for us, that light we can never see again. 



It will be impossible to notice any but the more important of 

 the papers read before the Sections, in the limited space which can 

 be devoted to this subject. The report of the Lunar Committee 

 was first brought forward by Mr. Glaisher and Mr. Birt. The 

 objects originally contemplated in the appointment of the Lunar 

 Committee were : — 



1. The registration of craters and visible objects on the moon's 

 surface in forms prepared by the Committee. 



2. The construction of an outline map of four times the area of 

 Beer and Madler's, according to the plan proposed by Mr. Birt. 



3. The conducting correspondence on the subjects. 



The report gave a detailed account of the manner in which 

 these objects had been carried out. Some attention was devoted to 

 the alteration which is supposed to have taken place in the crater 

 Linne. Mr. Birt said that there was an opinion that this crater 

 had been filled up by a volcanic eruption. 



