Sir Thomas Brisbane's Address. 



Rev. Dr Lloyd, of Trinity College. Although I expressed my diffidence 

 in accepting the high office of president, you are not to infer that I was 

 indifferent to the distinguished honour bestowed on me in that appoint- 

 ment. On the contrary, I look upon it as the highest I ever enjoyed. 

 The celebrated Dutch geometrician, V an Keulan, who devoted the greater 

 part of his life to the task of ascertaining the exact proportion between 

 the diameter of a circle and its circumference, and, in order to arrive at 

 the utmost degree of accuracy, carried it to one hundred places of figures, 

 directed at his death that these figures should be engraved on his tomb- 

 stone. In imitation of Van Keulan, it shall be my desire that the circum- 

 stance of ray having been President of the British Association be recorded 

 on my grave, as the most exalted tribute to my memory. I need not in- 

 fringe on your valuable time by dwelling on the wide field for scientific 

 inquiry which Ireland presents, or enumerating the many illustrious in- 

 dividuals to whom she has given birth. They are familiar to us all. 

 Neither need I tell yon, that her literature has a venerable claim to an- 

 tiquity. All Europe acknowledges the talents of a Burke, a Sheridan, a 

 Swift, a Goldsmith, a Kirwan, an Usher, and many others who. are gone 

 to their rest. In our days, we look up to these bright constellations, 

 by some of whom we are surrounded — a Brinkley, a Robinson, a Hamil- 

 ton, and, though last, not least of her illustrious sons, the immortal hero 

 of Waterloo. No man who has resided in Ireland, as I have done for 

 nearly four years, can have left that country but with a deep impression, 

 arising from the uniform kindness, hospitality, and friendship, which 

 every stranger receives from her warm-hearted sons ; and it is with the 

 utmost sincerity I assure you, that the days I have passed in Ireland have 

 been among the happiest of my life. Few individuals have had more 

 extensive opportunities of witnessing the gallantry, good conduct, and 

 cheerful subordination of the Irish soldier, under all the various and try- 

 ing circumstances incident to the service; and I can bear ample testi- 

 mony to the fact, that no men have deserved better of their country. I 

 fear you will consider me as having travelled out of my record in touch- 

 ing upon military matters ; but the partiality which I entertain for my 

 profession must plead my apology. We have much to regret the absence 

 of many of our enlightened members. At the head of the list I should 

 place the Bishop of Cloyne ; and what embitters the consideration of his 

 absence is, the reflection that it arises from illness. As I perceive we 

 have been attacked in some of the periodical journals for making too 

 long speeches at our meetings, if I should address you at greater length, 

 I fear I may. render myself liable to become the subject of their sarcasm. 

 I shall therefore conclude by moving, that the Rev. Dr Lloyd, who is 

 eminently known to you all, shall take the chair as President. 



Dr Lloyd having taken the Chair (on his right hand the Vice- 

 roy of Ireland, Lord Mul grave, and on the left Sir Thomas 

 M. Brisbane), addressed the audience in a speech, of which the 

 following is a summary : — 



My Lords and Gentlemen of the British Association, — In offering my 

 acknowledgments for the honour you have done me by voting me into the 

 chair at the meetings of the present year, I persuade myself that I shall not 

 seem to set the less value either on your favour, or on the high distinction 

 it confers, if I express my conviction, that I must owe this my elevation 

 to a circumstance which has long been deplored by the friends of science 

 and humanity throughout this kingdom — I mean to the long continued 

 illness of a truly reverend Prelate, to whom we had been accustomed to 

 ook up to as an eminent leader in the most arduous walks of science ; 



