of Edinlurgh, Session 1883-84. 
453 
been witnessed by our founders. The Fellows of the Eoyal Society, 
no doubt, in its philosophic retreat, know nothing of politics — 
‘ ‘ Quid Tiridatem terreat unice 
Securi. ” 
IS^evertheless, since its meetings Commenced, the changes on the 
world’s chess-board have been numberless, and there is something 
impressive, if perhaps almost incongruous, in finding the Eoyal 
Society meeting quietly month after month in those first days of 
palpitation and alarm, as if utterly unconscious of the tempest 
which was raging without. The end of their first decade brought 
them to the deepest horrors of the first French Eevolution. The 
end of the second, in 1803, saw the whole country armed to the 
teeth on the rupture of the Peace of Amiens. At the end of the 
third, Europe, after ten years of warfare and bloodshed, had not 
reached, although it approached, the crisis of Waterloo. Yet we 
could not have discovered from these records of learning what start- 
ling events were passing outside, while our forefathers discussed a 
geometrical problem, or pondered and disputed over the topography 
of the Troad. 
Yet, regarding this long interval from the vratch- tower of the 
Eoyal Society, I can trace within the century a revolution more 
wonderful and more extensive than monarchies^ or empires, or 
republics can display. Since this Society held its first meetingj 
how great to the community has been the fruit gathered from those 
branches of knowledge which it was incorporated to prosecute 1 
During that interval, what has science not done for human comfort 
and happiness ? What interest so great, what dwelling so humble, 
as not to have felt its beneficent influence ^ Since the invention of 
the art of printing, no such advance in material comfort, prosperity, 
and intellgence has ever been made within a similar period as this 
century has witnessed. Its triumphs have not been Confined to the 
more abstruse fields of thought and study^ but have come straight to 
the world of everyday life. I need not go over the familiar cata- 
logue ; but one homely illustration meets me on the threshold of 
the opening night j and homely things go deep into the foundations 
of human life. I picture to myself our founders wending their way 
to the College Library, through close and wynd, in mid- winter 1783, 
