14 



JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). 



[Vol. XIX. 



Presidential Address on the present occasion. It was only when 

 I looked into some of the very able, learned, and full Addresses 

 delivered on similar occasions from this Chair that I realised 

 how daring it was to undertake such a duty. More especially as 

 many of my predecessors in office did not at all feel it incumbent 

 upon them to deliver an Annual Address, or even any Address at all. 

 It is noteworthy that two such eminent past Presidents as Sir 

 Emerson Tennent and Sir Edward Creasy never addressed the 

 Members ; and I learn from our Honorary Secretary Mr. Joseph 

 that, in the more than sixty years of the Society's existence, 

 only twelve Presidential Addresses have been delivered.* The 

 custom, therefore, of Annual Addresses has been "more honoured 

 in the breach than in the observance." 



I am not going to review the early history of the Society, for 

 that was done in our Jubilee year with great fullness, clearness, 

 and ability by Dr. Copleston (now Metropolitan of India), who 

 was our President for the long period of sixteen years, by far the 

 longest term of office in the Society's annals. But there are two 

 or three points connected with the past not touched on by the 

 Bishop, which (in looking over the series of Addresses and the 

 Journals containing them) I thought it might be of some interest 

 to bring to your recollection or consideration. 



To the Hon. Mr. Justice Stark the Society owed much for 

 the great interest he took in its initiation and working. He 

 delivered a suitable and encouraging Address at the first General 

 Meeting in May, 1845, in which he pointed out that the Society 

 " would collect scattered rays of information possessed by 

 different individuals, and would also tend to raise up and 

 encourage a literary and scientific spirit." A year later, after 

 touching. on the different Papers read, he wound up an exposition 

 of the work before the Society in eloquent words, which I will 

 venture to quote as, even now, very true and applicable. In 

 contrasting the development of Ceylon during the past hundred 

 years with the experience of the previous 2,000 or more years of 



* Names of Presidents who delivered Presidential Addresses (with dates). 



1, 1845 



The Hon. Mr. Justice Stark 



Col. A. B. Fyers 



C. Bruce, C.M.G. 



J. F. Dickson, C.M.G. 



Right Rev. R. S. Copleston, D.D. 



His Excellency Sir E. im Thurn, C.M.G. 



J May 

 " I May 



f January 

 } November 

 I December 

 December 

 December 

 p December 

 I December 

 ! December 

 j February 

 ; December 



4, 1846 

 16, 1871 



7, 1872 

 16, 1880 

 16, 1881 

 22, 1884 

 21, 1885 

 16, 1886 

 19, 1892 

 26, 1902 

 11, 1895 



Historical Sketch 

 for Jubilee Anni- 

 versary. 

 ^ Farewell Address. 

 March 2, 1904 



