2 A DIECOVRBI., &C. 



count on his promoting the views and objects of 

 the Institution to the utmost eitent. 



. Elected as jout President bj the unanimoiis 

 Toice of the Society^ and earnestly solicited by 

 themost conspicuous of jour Meinbers to accept 

 tb at station^ I have not feit nijself competent io 

 decline so marked a distinction ; but I must as- 

 Süre JOU tbat ï feel verj sensiblj my entire in- 

 abiiitj to exccnte its important duties^ either 

 with heueüt to jouor with credit tomjsel f. Far 

 more preferable would it have been to me had 

 this honorable post devolved upon one of jour 

 more competent Members^ and tbat jou bad 

 permitted ma to have mixed with jou as one of 

 jour ordinarj tboughnot least zealousassociates. 



On the present occasion bowever, assembled 

 as we are, in coramemoratfon of the Anniversary 

 cf the ïnstitötion of the Batavian Society, with 

 such fair prospects before u§ of promoting the 

 original design of its establishment, under the 

 anticipated protection of so illustrious a fat- 

 kon, I cannot refrain from taking a general, 

 thoügh imperfect review, of the progress of 

 the Society, from its first institution, nor from 

 indulging in the contemplation of the lights 

 which the future exertions of its active and zeal- 

 ous Members, manj throw oa man and nature- 

 in these remole regions. 



