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Siemens, Newton, Eamsey, Thomson, Herbert, Spencer, 

 Hooker, Groves, Carpenter, Spottiswoode, Flowers, Asa 

 Gray, Marsh, Whitney, and scores of other bright stars 

 in the world of science. 



And to the honor of being President of the Literary 

 and Historical Society of Quebec, I found myself 

 indebted for an associate member's ticket and a reserved 

 seat, close to those veterans of science ; let me tell you 

 that in such a vast apartment as the York Exhibition 

 Eoom, in which close on 3,000 persons were seated, a 

 reserved seat was quite an appreciable piece of good luck. 



The facilities afforded by the York press, as well as 

 the printed directions, brochures and journals of each 

 days proceedings, placed at my disposal ample infor- 

 mation, to which you are welcome, touching the 

 Association's aims, progress and results. 



" Estimating its success by the number of members 

 and associates attending its meetings, the British Asso- 

 ciation, we find, has made rapid strides since the year 

 1831, when there were 353- persons present in the 

 theatre of the Yorkshire Museum. In 1834, when the 

 association met at Edinburgh, under the presidency of 

 Sir T. M. Brisbane, D. C. L., there was a total mem- 

 bership of 1,298. Three years later the association met 

 at Liverpool, the Earl of Burlington presiding, when 

 those in attendance numbered 1,840. This number was 

 increased to 2,400 at Newcastle-on-Tyne, in the follow- 

 ing year, when the chair was occupied by the Duke of 

 Northumberland. 



Then followed a falling off to 1,438 at Birmingham 

 in 1839, when the Eev. W. Vernon Harcourt took the 

 chair; and a still further reduction, at Glasgow, in 1840, 

 (the Marquis of Breadalbane presiding), when there 

 were 1,353 persons in attendance. In the subsequent 

 years the diminution in numbers was most marked, 

 only 891 persons journeying to Plymouth to attend the 

 meeting under the presidency of the Eev. W. Whew T ell, 

 E. E. S. Then there came another leap at Manchester 



