-590 Proceedings of the British Association. 



Having filled almost every office in the Association, he naturally felt 

 a deep interest in its future fortunes, and particularly as to -what 

 should be done when the Association had gone the round of all the 

 large towns of England. Hitherto, its motto had been " Fresh fields 

 and pastures new," and no place which had been visited was superior 

 to Manchester, Three courses seemed open to the Association : 1 , the 

 smaller towns might be visited ; 2, the places where the Association 

 had already met might be revisited ; or 3, the meetings might be sus- 

 pended for two or more years. He was of opinion, that while new 

 places could be visited, it was inexpedient to repeat the cycle of visits — 

 unless an exception might be allowed in favour of York, which had 

 been the birth-place of the Institution. Should public interest in the 

 Association decline, he was of opinion that it would be the wiser 

 plan to suspend their meetings for some intervals. He believed and 

 trusted, however, that this was still a distant prospect, and he turned 

 to the more agreeable topic of his returning with this great scientific 

 body to the county of his birth, and the place with which all the agree- 

 able recollections of his childhood were connected. He felt equal pride 

 and pleasure in being one of the many aggregated round the venerable 

 Dalton, who had the highest name in chemistry in any part of the 

 globe. With feelings, not less gratifying, he would now resign his 

 place to Lord Francis Egerton, who possessed so high and well-merited 

 a character in literature and art, and whose Presidency over a scientific 

 association was a noble exemplification of the bond which binds to- 

 gether, in harmonious union, all the branches of mental cultivation. 



Lord F. Egerton then took the chair, and called for the Treasurer's 

 report. 



Prof. Phillips then read the programme of the proceedings, already 

 laid before the general committee. 



Lord F. Egerton then addressed the meeting, and said — 

 Gentlemen, — Years have now elapsed since, by the exertions of 

 individuals, most of whom are now present, the prototype of this 

 meeting was held in the city of York ; and so successful was that first 

 experiment, that it has been annually repeated. The order and course 

 of the proceedings of the body there constituted and arranged, has not, 

 I apprehend, been strictly uniform, but I believe, on the whole, it has 

 been usual, that on the occasion of its annual assemblage, those pro- 

 ceedings should be open to some observations incidental to the occasi- 

 on, on the part of the President ; and this preliminary duty I am 

 jfnxious, to the utmost of the very limited means of my ability, to 

 execute. In the earlier meetings of this Society, and on occasions 



