14 



Annual Address. 



which our parent society performed in its day, and of some 

 of the men through whom it was done. But during this 

 time, a body of younger men had been coming forward 

 prepared to take up and prosecute, with zeal and energy, 

 the cause of natural science. Through their exertions 

 the Albany Lyceum of Natural History was formed and 

 incorporated April 23, 1S23, for the purpose, as expressed in 

 the act of incorporation, "of encouraging the study and 

 disseminating a knowledge of natural history and other 

 useful sciences." Among those who took a leading part 

 in its formation, were Stephen Van Kennselaer who gave 

 to the measure the whole weight of his honored name and 

 influence, and also Dr. T. Romeyn Beck always among 

 the foremost in all such enterprises ; his brother, Dr. 

 Lewis C. Beck, distinguished as a botanist and for his 

 researches in other branches of natural history ; Simeon 

 DeWitt Bloodgood, then an editor of one of our city 

 papers, a man of rare culture and of general literary and 

 scientific tastes ; Richard Yarick DeWitt who had in- 

 herited his father's love of science, especially in its appli- 

 cations to mechanism and the useful arts ; Matthew Henry 

 Webster, a man of considerable scientific and scholarly 

 attainments ; Dr. James Eights, well versed in conchology, 

 mineralogy and other departments of natural history ; and 

 Joseph Henry, then entering upon those studies and ex- 

 periments in chemistry and its kindred sciences which 

 were soon to lift him into scientific distinction. 



There is another great name which may not be passed 

 over on such an occasion as this, without a more direct 

 notice than I have yet given to it. It is that of DeWitt 

 Clinton, to whom in a greater degree than to any other 

 single man, the state of New York owes its present power, 

 wealth and commercial preeminence. I need not detain 

 you with a recital of his public services, for they are known 

 to all of us, and are ineffaceably recorded in that great 



