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0 / Edinburgh^ Session 1862 - 63 . 
side, can replace such influences. I could speak from personal ex- 
perience, if necessary, of the influence of meetings like ours, dull 
and commonplace though they may appear to some, upon the mind 
of the young student ; of the zest with which he feels himself, per- 
haps for the first time, made the recipient of knowledge in its actual 
dynamic progress, not through its past hoarded acquisitions merely ; 
the enthusiasm with which he sees (perhaps also for the first time) 
men of whom he has read in books, and on whom he looks with pos- 
sibly excessive, yet still elevating and generous respect ; how, meet- 
ing after meeting, he approaches somewhat nearer to those thus dis- 
tantly regarded, and finally addresses them, though with something 
of reverence, as friends having a common interest in common and 
noble pursuits. If such alone were a result of our periodical meet- 
ings, such would alone be an adequate object for us to aim at. It 
is only by a certain measure of self-denial, a certain throwing off 
of passive or indolent habits, that we can hope to render our meet- 
ings attractive to ourselves and to one another. If all come, all 
will be interested ; let each man, instead of pleading his inability 
to contribute his share to the literary and scientific proceedings, 
contribute at least his countenance. There is something magnetic 
in the concourse of intelligent persons. Not only does each ele- 
ment attracted increase the aggregate by its adhesion, but the 
aggregate so increased draws new molecules with greater force 
within its sphere, till the whole gathers in an increasing progres- 
sion, and (as physical philosophers tell us) evolves by the mere 
act of aggregation that heat and light which maintain energy and 
vitality even to the bounds of the universe. 
We all know the history of the British Association for the Ad- 
vancement of Science ; some here remember its origin ; few have not 
been present at some of its meetings. Let me remind you how small 
a fraction of that animated whole is composed of direct contributors 
to the advancement of those sciences which the Society was formed 
to promote. Let me ask you, what would be the result if every 
member were requested to withdraw, who had not some paper to 
communicate or some remark to offer. You may imagine the dire 
scramble which would ensue, the clearing of benches, the faces of 
dismay. The dismay would not be all on the- side of the retreating 
listeners. The small knot of studious philosophers left behind 
