JUBILEE MEETING. — MARQUIS OF RIPON. 
467 
think that I should be justified in telling you that men of the highest 
distinction have found in those papers a record of investigations 
likely to be of lasting value, and fit to take there place permanently 
in scientific libraries. (Hear, hear, j Of practical work I have spoken. 
And now I would venture to submit to j^ou that such a society as 
this, which has attained for itself the recognition of men of so much 
distinction, and whose papers are of the character I have spoken of, 
must be doing a great deal for the encouragement of natural science 
in this great county. It would indeed be a disgrace if a county like 
Yorkshire were to l)e behindhand in scientific matters, and if, during 
the fifty years of the existence of the society, its members have been 
doing anything for the promotion of true, honest, zealous study of 
natural science, especially of geological science, in Yorkshire, it has 
been accomplishing, I think, work the vahie of which will be generally 
recognized. I observe that it is stated in the programme that Prof. 
Judd will speak on the relations between the great central societies and 
local ones. I hope we shall hear from him that he shares the feeling which 
I have always entertained, that while it is desirable that the scientific 
work of the country should be brought to a focus in the great central 
societies which have their local seat in London, yet there is plenty 
of work for other societies to do in the various counties and provinces 
of the country, and they are the proper feeders of the London 
societies with those facts of observation which form the basis of all 
inductive science I have alluded to those eminent persons who are 
with us to day, and I am sure you vdW join with me and will think 
I am rightly representing your feelings when I tender to them our 
warmest thanks for their presence on this occasion. (Applause). "We 
are not so foolish as to suppose that we have anything to teach them, 
but they have a gi-eat deal to teach us if time permit. Their 
presence here is of extreme value, because it shows that they have 
persuaded themselves that the Yorkshire Geological and Pol)rtechnic 
Society is doing solid work for science in this part of the country, and 
that it is worth the while of such eminent scientific men to come two 
hundred miles for the purpose of showing their interest in this 
society, and giving us the encouragement of their presence. (Applause.) 
Nothing can be more conducive to the good and to the prosperity of 
