16 
ADDRESS OF THE COUNCIL. 
while those delivered in the second series by Mr. 
Morris and Dr. Streeten, were respectively upon 
subjects belonging to Geology and Botany. Inter- 
spersed with these, a Course of Lectures upon the 
Earlier Stages of the History of the Germans, rich in 
statistical details, was delivered by Mr. Walter. 
It is not for the Council to pass an opinion upon 
the manner in which any of those gentlemen who 
have favoured the Society by complying with their 
wishes, and coming before the public at their request, 
achieved the task assigned them ; but they may be 
allowed to appeal to the crowded rooms and the 
great attention paid by the highly respectable and 
intelligent audience upon these occasions, that the 
efforts made were equally in accordance with the 
views of the Society, and with the taste and good 
sense of the community in general. It formed no 
part of the plan of the Council to dictate to any 
gentleman as to what should be the subject of his 
Lecture. The high scientific and literary attainments 
of these gentlemen would have rendered such a 
proceeding as unreasonable as it was unnecessary. 
Still, however, the Council are much gratified to be 
able to state that each one of the departments of their 
Science has received a portion of attention, and has 
had its claims to consideration brought before the 
public. 
The very interesting statistical details especially 
connected with our county brought forward by Dr. 
Hastings, in the Introductory Lecture to which 
allusion has already been made ; the ingenious and 
