276 Proceedings of the British Association. 



piety, and such distinguished success, in the development and ex- 

 tension of his father's views, that no one takes a deeper or a more 

 lively interest in the success of this noble enterprise, and no one 

 rejoices more sincerely in the vast prospects of discovery which it 

 opens. 



Gentlemen, it is now thirteen years since the British Association 

 held its first meeting in this ancient and venerable city, under the 

 presidency of the noble Earl, who is always the first to offer his ser- 

 vices in the promotion of the interests of science, and of every good 

 and useful undertaking ; it was in this city that its constitution and 

 laws were first organized, and it is by these laws, for which we are 

 chiefly indebted to the excellent sense and judgment of Mr. William 

 Vernon Harcourt, with very unimportant changes, the Association 

 has continued to be governed. It is in conformity with the spirit 

 of these laws, that we should seek to co-operate, and not to interfere 

 with other Societies which have pursuits and objects in common with 

 our own ; that we should claim no right to the publication of 

 memoirs which are read at our Sections, and which are not prepared 

 at our request ; that we should endeavour to concentrate and direct 

 the influence of the public opinion of men engaged or interested in 

 the pursuits of science, in favour of such objects, and such objects 

 only, as they agree in considering important for its interests ; and 

 above all, that we should avail ourselves of the advantages which we 

 possess in the extensive range of our operations, and in our indepen- 

 dence of particular societies and particular localities, of organizing 

 and carrying into effect well-digested systems of co-operative labour. 



Again, our meetings were also designed to bring men who are 

 engaged in common pursuits, and interested in common objects, into 

 closer union and more frequent intercourse with each other ; to en- 

 courage the more humble and less generally known cultivators of 

 science, by bringing their labours under the notice of those men who 

 are best able to appreciate and to give currency to their value ; to 

 enable our members to see, in the places which they visited, where 

 all establishments are, with rare exceptions, most liberally thrown 

 open to their inspection, whatever is most remarkable in the pro- 

 duction of their manufactures, in the principles and construction of 

 their machinery, in their collections connected with art or the na- 



