Inaugural Address. 13 



to the Colony. Of only one of their memoirs do I venture to 

 form an opinion, and that is one which I expressed in 1860, in 

 my book on the Southern Gold Fields, in the following words : — 

 " In the year 1822, my respected friend, Alexander Berry, Esq., 

 read a very interesting paper on the geology of the Clyde River, 

 before the Philosophical Society of Australasia. At that early 

 period, Mr. Berry had successfully made out all the prominent 

 features of the district, as well as along the coast, and has pointed 

 out the vertical strata of schist, the quartz, the trap, and the sand- 

 stone, with their order of succession. It gives me great satisfac- 

 tion to mention this." (p. 45.) 



Some of our members may have been unaware of the high 

 claims which Mr. Berry, on account of his talents, enterprise, 

 and acquirements, has on the respect of our Society. Probably, 

 very few of ourselves will equal him in his years of membership, 

 now amounting to nearly half a century. 



The Philosophical Society which thus commenced with flatter- 

 ing promises of future usefulness, was destined to only a brief 

 period of service. A question arose between the Government 

 and some of the members which led to estrangement. The 

 friendly meetings became fewer, and the fictitious variable value 

 assigned to the dollar (the coin then current) was the cause of 

 breaking up the little band who cultivated science for the love of it. 



Judge Field thus speaks of that mishap, in connection with 

 the seven memoirs before mentioned: "Such of them" (i.e. of 

 the several documents in his book) as are parts of the Transactions 

 of the Philosophical Society of Australasia are printed by per- 

 mission of their respective authors ; for, I am sorry to add, that 

 the infant Society soon expired in the baneful atmosphere of 

 distracted politics, which unhappily clouded the short adminis- 

 tration of its President, the present" (i.e. the then) "Governor 

 of New South Wales. Let me hope that it is only a case of 

 suspended animation, and that our little Society will be resusci- 

 tated by the new Colonial Government." 



This, Gentlemen, is all of much importance that I have been 

 able to learn, after search in the publications of the period, and 

 converse with my venerable friend Mr. Berry. My late friend 

 Admiral King, did, however, inform me, that there were some 

 other little grievances, besides the proceedings of Major Goulburn, 



