British Association for the Advancement of Science, 469 



sociation to pursue their object con amove. The ancient city of 

 York was a Roman station of importance ; many interesting re- 

 mains of the Roman period in England are extant there at this day. 

 Upon the skirts of the city, and near to the mouldering remains 

 of the ancient Roman walls, are the truly venerable ruins of a 

 Christian temple, which, perhaps, yield the palm in extent more 

 than in beauty, to that fine character, which Time, who puts the 

 true finish to cathedral architecture, exhibits more beautifully 

 and profusely in England than in any other country. On this 

 interesting spot of ground, which slopes down to the river Ouse, 

 and which is pregnant with such fine remembrances, the York- 

 shire Philosophical Society have constructed an admirable and 

 most convenient building, of classic and elegant proportions, and 

 have placed it between the Roman and cathedral ruins of which 

 we have spoken. 



That the most intellectual men in Great Britain could meet 

 at such a place, and upon such an occasion, without being in- 

 fluenced by these associations, could not be ; and a week was 

 passed there, consecrated to the interests of science, in the most 

 harmonious and profitable manner. A few of the most dis- 

 tinguished scientific men were not able to attend. The pre- 

 sence of Buckland, Herschell, Sedgewick, Babbage, Airy, and a 

 few other celebrated persons, would have completed an assem- 

 blage strong in the names of Dalton, Brewster, Murchison, 

 Witham, Scoresby, Smith, Daubeny, Vernon Harcourt, Green- 

 ough, and a host of intellectual men, of established reputation. 

 It added greatly to the interest of the meeting, that several men 

 of rank assisted at the deliberations, and evinced a strong de^ 

 sire to forward the great object of the association. The Arch' 

 bishop of York paid a marked attention to the members, at-» 

 tended the meetings, and enrolled his name on the list. Lords 

 Milton, Morpeth, Dundas, Sir George Cayley, Sir Thomas 

 Brisbane, Sir Philip Egerton, Sir C. Ibbetson, Mr. Justice 

 Parke, Mr. Archdeacon Wrangham, all eminent patrons of sci- 

 ence, became members of the association. 



The first assemblage was on the evening of the 26th Sep- 

 tember, 1831. The ladies and gentlemen of the city and neigh- 

 bourhood attended in great numbers, for the purpose of giving 

 a cordial welcome to the scientific strangers. During that 

 evening Mr. Phillips, the able secretary of the Yorkshire society, 



