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compositions were not mere prolusions — exercises in versification — the 

 promptings of a vain desire to excel in walks different from those in 

 which his chief distinctions had been gained. They were the genuine 

 outpourings of a noble heart and fervid imagination, characterized by a 

 depth of thought and elevation of sentiment which compensated for 

 occasional defects in artistic execution. These poetic efforts have an 

 additional interest, as exemplifying in his own productions the con- 

 nexion which he so strongly insisted on as existing between the highest 

 provinces of science and the region of poetry — in both of which he 

 maintained that there was scope and demand for the exercise of the 

 imaginative faculty. According to him, the modern geometry, which 

 deals with the infinites and imaginaries of space, has its beauty and its 

 fascination ; and he reckoned the happy daring of such geometers as 

 Poncelet and Chasles as closely allied to poetry. We happen to know 

 that this view of his, as communicated by him to the poet "Wordsworth, 

 was to the latter an entirely new revelation, and had the effect of 

 raising his conception, which had before been unduly depreciatory, of 

 the dignity both of science itself, and of its most eminent votaries. 



Literary and scientific men are 'often censured, and not without 

 reason, for their want of capacity in the transaction of business. To 

 this reproach Hamilton was not liable. He had a retentive me- 

 mory, which enabled him to keep himself familiar with matters of 

 detail ; and a love of method, which manifested itself in systematic 

 arrangement of any work which he had to perform. I believe that 

 there never was a President of this Academy who had such a minute 

 acquaintance with its affairs — such an exact knowledge of its history 

 and constitution ; and, consequently, whenever questions arose respect- 

 ing its laws and usages, he was generally able to solve them by an 

 immediate reference either to established rules, or to the Minutes re- 

 cording the acts of the Academy or its Council. Nor was he less re- 

 markable for qualities as necessary in the post he occupied, and of 

 greater moral worth— for graciousness, combined with truthfulness, for 

 a perfect freedom from all unworthy jealousy, and for a just sense of 

 the dignity of the body over which he was called to preside. 



Of his efficiency in the transaction of public business he gave signal 

 proof at the time of the first Meeting of the British Association of 

 Science in Dublin. He took an active part, along with Dr. Lloyd and 

 a few other distinguished men of science, in those preliminary move- 

 ments by which the governing bodies of Trinity College and the Academy 

 were induced to invite the British Association to hold its meeting in 

 this city in the year 1835. On that occasion, being appointed one of 

 the Secretaries for the year, he discharged the duties of his office with a 

 zeal and efficiency which procured for him the cordial thanks of all who 

 took part in the proceedings. It thus fell to his lot to prepare the 

 Annual Address usually read at the first general meeting of the Associa- 

 tion. In that Address, though it was delivered thirty years ago, many 

 of you will remember with what eloquence he expounded the working 

 of the social spirit in promoting the progress of science. He explained 



