AimiYEESARY ADDRESS. 3 



It would be unseemly, wlien we are commemorating tlie services 

 of departed friends, to omit another name which deserves our 

 grateful remembrance — I mean that of Sir William T. Denison, 

 who not only presided with ability over the Philosophical Society 

 to which we once belonged, but who, on all occasions, was fore- 

 most, during his government of this Colony, in advancing and 

 encouraging the advancement of science and learning, and who 

 did not disdain, amidst the cares of office, to be a fellow-worker 

 in all the useful associations with which he was connected. 



It is to be desired that, so long as our Society retains its 

 present constitution, we may ever find our President as active 

 and considerate as was the last Grovernor-G-eneral of Australia. 

 I borrow from the obituary of the Astronomical Society of 

 England the following record of his career : — " He was called 

 hence, after a brief illness, on the 19th January, 1871, in his 67th 

 year, in all the honours of deep and unfeigned attachment 

 amongst his personal friends ; and amongst those who only knew 

 him in public life, with all the respect due to his unblemished 

 career, as ' a soldier, an officer, and a gentleman'; — such, at least, 

 is the testimony of a few brother officers who have been privileged 

 with his friendship during half a century." (^Annual Report of 

 Goimeil, B.A.S., Qth Febmary, 1872.) 



I now turn to the more immediate purport of this Address. 



In comparison with some former sessions, the work of the last 

 was less profuse in contributed papers than usual. 



It might, perhaps, be said by one in a playful mood, that the 

 quantity of " cold water" imported into discussion the year 

 before,* however warmed up by party views, may have for a time 

 damped the ardour of some of our contributors ; but the absence 

 of one, and the illness of another, and the death of a third, may 

 have had something to do with meetings which lapsed for want of 

 matter to discuss. 



* Alluding to a debate, in presence of the Society, on a paper in the last 

 volume, on the best souree of Water Supply to Sydney. 



