PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS 17 



5. Portraits of Scientific Men of New South Wales. — 

 I desire to invite the attention of members to the desir- 

 ability of systematically adding to the excellent collection 

 of portraits which adorn our walls, especially of those of 

 our early scientific men. The time is perhaps slipping 

 away when some of the early portraits can be obtained. 

 I am quite reasonable in the matter, since I would be con- 

 tent with photographic reproductions, though custodians 

 of original portraits, busts, etc., might do well to consider 

 the desirability of placing such in our care, either on loan 

 or in perpetuity. 



I have not worked the subject out, but my suggestions 

 include the following : — 



1. Group all portraits, as far as possible, according to 



the subjects specialised in by the originals. 



2. No portrait to be hung of a living man. 



Sir Thomas Brisbane was first President of the Philo- 

 sophical Society of Australasia (1821), when he presided at 

 an inaugural meeting which celebrated the jubilee of the 

 landing of Captain Cook and Mr. Joseph Banks at Botany 

 Bay. The members of that old and small Society should 

 all be represented. They include Barron Field, Alex. Berry, 

 Oxley, Uniacke, Allan Cunningham, Dr. Rumker, Captains 

 King and Currie, r.n. A fuller list and other particulars 

 of the 1821 Society will be found at Trans. Roy. Soc. 

 N.S.W., i, 11-14, from the pen of the Revd. W. B. Clarke. 

 Alexander Berry was the last survivor. 



I am familiar with the old records of this Society, and I 

 find that no man attended the meetings more regularly and 

 took a more active interest in the resuscitated Society 

 (Philosophical, 1856, onwards), than Governors Sir William 

 Denison and Sir John Young. Sir Edward Deas-Thomson 

 was a most active worker. And how rarely do we now hear 

 these names mentioned in connection with our Society. Is 

 it right ? 



B— May 1, 1912. 



