2 W. M. HAMLET. 



in every day use as our word ' shelf,' and for some of 

 the most necessary parts the shelves of all our laboratories 

 physical or chemical, and this is just an instance of the 

 continuity of speech from the old-time Norsemen away back 

 in the twilight of the gods, down to the present day. But 

 let it also be noted that the throne of Woden was not merely 

 a chair-shelf, but a mighty watch tower, from whence he 

 could overlook the whole world and see at a glance all that 

 was happening among gods and men. Matthew Arnold 

 finely expresses the legend when he says: — 

 " From the hall of Heaven he rode away 

 To Lidskialf, and sate upon his throne, 

 The mount, from whence his eye surveys the world. 

 And far from Heaven he turned his shining orbs 

 To look on Midgard, and the earth, and men." 

 From this ancient conception of so exalted a position our 

 thoughts turn to the responsibilities of the presidential 

 chair of our Society, whose occupant is a passing temporary 

 phenomenon, here to-night and gone to-morrow. But not 

 so the chair whose existence carries us back to the historic 

 Sir Thomas Brisbane who occupied it in the year 1821, and 

 whose name will for ever be cherished in Australia. Thus 

 we note the continuity of occupation, and if the post be 

 charged with the cares and responsibilities of office, the 

 burden is happily counterbalanced with advantages and 

 privileges peculiarly its own, not the least of which is the 

 opportunity for a calm and dispassionate survey of the fields 

 of scientific research, as well as the state of knowledge, 

 aye, and the lack of knowledge in our midst. 



Oarlyle, who was saturated with the myths and legends 

 of the Northern heroes, had his own clear conception of 

 the Scandinavian god Woden surnamed the Allfather, 

 occupying the highest seat or Lidskialf in Asgard, and you 

 will no doubt remember his graphic picture or character- 

 sketch of Professor Teufelsdrockh sitting in his chair or 



