4 Anniversary Address. 



I do not know wlietlier any previous session of this, or of the 

 previous Philosophical Society, has ever exhibited a heartier 

 desire to turn the channel of our thoughts more freely towards 

 practical results, than the last ; and the thanks of our body 

 generally are due to those members of it, who laid before us 

 their able researches in the various branches of Science and 

 Literature which they have cultivated, for such advancement of 

 the claim which this Society has to the respect and support of 

 the community 



No one can justly accuse us of wasting our time in idle 

 speculations realising nothing of lasting value, who looks down 

 the list which I have read to-night. I trust I shall be pardoned 

 if I dwell for a moment on one or two of them, especially that 

 which has suggested a reference in another direction. 



It is but a duty to my friend Professor Thomson (without 

 intending, however, anything invidious in the selection of his 

 paper), to say, that he has done himself great credit by his 

 survey of the County of Argyle, ot which 1 can speak with 

 some kind of authority, having myself examined and reported 

 on considerable portions of it on various occasions. 



Tet, that is not the motive which induces this reference. I 

 would wish to point out what is a desideratum in the future 

 geological mapping of the colony. It is a well-kijown remark, 

 that where Topography is deficient, Geology depicted must be 

 imperfect. Unless the physical features of a district are 

 faithfully delineated, it is impossible to assign accurate boundaries 

 to the various formations. It is not the business of the geologist 

 to undertake the work of the ordinary surveyor; any more than 

 belongs to a house-painter to form the frame work of the doors 

 and windows he is called on to decorate. 



The work of Geology, therefore, is hindered in these colonies, 

 by want of carefully defined features of the country ; in saying 

 which, I mean to infer no inaccuracy in that work which has been 

 so well performed in the various Survey departments. 



In the course of correspondence with gentlemen employed in 

 G-eologieal surveying, I have met with continual allusion to what 

 is wanted by them. In all truth it must be said, that many of 



