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papers, the productions of writers who brought to their sub- 
jects extensive practical experience as well as theoretical 
knowledge, followed by free but courteous discussions and 
the friendly interchange of opinion, in a meeting of men who 
combined science with practice, could not but be productive 
of great good. But much as had been done, there was still 
much remaining to be accomplished, before the vast treasures 
of mineral wealth, which a gracious Providence had placed 
under their feet, had answered all the purposes for which His 
wisdom and benevolence designed them. There were dis- 
tricts to be explored ; maps to be formed ; statistics to be 
collected ; improvements to be suggested ; and information to 
be widely diffused, in order to secure the full benefit of these 
treasures. In our own district, those treasures were now bless- 
ing many hundreds with opulence, and many thousands with 
the means of happy subsistence ; but the continuance and ex- 
tension of those blessings depended on the active and judicious 
use of the means to which they owed their origin. To culti- 
vate such resources with success, united and systematic efforts 
were indispensable ; and it was the province of that Society 
to unite and systematize, and by that union and that system, 
to promote and assist those efforts. Such a Society was well 
entitled to the support of all who were interested (and who 
is not?) in the welfare of the community to which they 
belonged. Whatever apathy might have appeared (and in 
this neighbourhood there was unfortunately but too much 
reason to regret such apathy) with regard to the Society, 
must, he was sure, arise from its objects and proceedings 
not being sufficiently known. In his own case it was un- 
questionably so ; for he had been very imperfectly aware of 
the extent or nature of the Society's labours till he read their 
Reports preparatory to taking the chair that evening ; and 
the pleasure with which he had read them was not entirely 
unmixed with self-reproach, that such an institution had been 
