The President's Address. 
75 
upon the investigation of the laws of organization. Even in 
zoology, the influence of Brown^s researches may be traced in 
the interest attached to the history of development in all its 
recent systems of classification. Brown had^ in fact_, at the 
beginning of the present century, grasped the great ideas 
of growth and development which are the beacon-lights of 
all research in biological science, whether in the plant or 
animal world. Whilst Brown^s influence was thus great, 
his works are not calculated to attract popular attention. He 
was of a diffident and retiring disposition, shunning whatever 
partook of display, and anxioas to avoid public observation. 
Thus it is that one of our greatest philosophers has passed 
away without notice, and many will have heard his name for 
the first time with the announcement of his decease. But 
for him an undying reputation remains, which must in- 
crease as long as the great science of life is studied and 
understood.^' 
In now turning your attention to the labours of the Council 
of the past year, I would especially call your attention to two 
subjects — the state of our Library and Museum. 
A committee has been appointed, who have examined with 
great diligence the state of your Library, and by the exer- 
tions of these gentlemen the Library has been put into a 
much more efficient condition. Some new regulations have 
been made with regard to the distribution of books, lost 
works have been restored to their shelves, and, by an appeal 
to the Society, a large number of very valuable additions have 
been made. By a further arrangement, also, for the sale, at 
a reduced price, of old copies of the ' Transactions' and the 
'Journal/ a considerable sum has been raised, which the 
Council proposes to devote to the purchase of new works, 
and the completing and binding of sets of the old works. A 
catalogue will also shortly be published, by which members 
will see what are the works we possess, and the deficiencies 
which the Council would gladly see supplied by their dona- 
tions. 
The Museum is a very unimportant and not very creditable 
portion of our possessions. Nevertheless, we have to record 
with gratitude the present of a very complete series of British 
Diatomacese by Mr. Okeden ; and a series of twelve micro- 
scopic photographs of members of the Society, by our zealous 
friend and former president, Mr. George Jackson. I think 
the Council would be glad if any half-dozen members would 
form a Museum Committee, and seriously undertake the 
work of making collections of objects for the Museum. It 
