518 
HEAT, ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM. 
But it seems almost superfluous to 
dilate, to those actually present at such 
a meeting as this on topics of the above 
description, when the mere fact of iheir 
being congregated here in such num- 
bers, conveys the best assurance that 
such is already their conviction. Nor 
is it merely the assembling of so large 
a portion of the respectable inhabitants 
of this city and neighbourhood, nor yet 
the attracting from a distance so great 
a number of the mere amateurs of 
science, which justifies me in this con- 
clusion, but it is the presence of so 
many hard-working, so many successful 
cultivators of physical research, and 
their devoting to the service of the As- 
sociation that most valuable of their 
possessions, their time, which gives me 
a right to assume, that the minds of 
those qualified to judge on such mat- 
ters, are already made up respecting the 
beneficial influence which this Asso- 
ciation is e.xerting. The volume, in- 
deed, which now lies upon the table, 
and which contains the results of our 
last year’s proceedings, not only amply 
sustains the former character of these 
Transactions, but even shows more 
strongly than those which have preceded 
it, the power which the Association has 
been exercising in the direct advance- 
ment of Science. It contains, in the 
first place, several valuable contributions 
to our knowledge of Magnetism — a 
branch of science which, within a few 
years, stood in a manner isolated from 
the rest, but which now, thanks to the 
researches of living philosophers, is 
shown to be intimately connected with, 
or rather to be one of the manifestations 
of that mysterious, but all-])ervading 
power, which seems to be displayed not 
less in those molecular attractions that 
bind together the elements of every 
compound body, than in the direction 
imparted to the loadstone ; perhaps even 
in the light and heat which attend upon 
combustion, no less than in the awful 
phenomena of a thunder storm. 
Considering the connexion that sub- 
sists between the science of Heat, Elec- 
tricity, and Magnetism, and considering, 
likewise, the cjffbrts made with various 
degress of success, and by men of very 
unequal pretensions, to develope the 
laws of each of these sciences in accord- 
ance with mathematical formulae, one 
cannot wonder that the Association 
should have been anxious to assign to a 
member, no less distinguished for the 
depth of his mathematical attainments, 
than for the range of his acquaintance 
with modern science, the task of draw- 
ing up a Report on the theories of these 
three departments of Physics, consider- 
ed in relation one to the other. This, 
accordingly, has been executed by Mr. 
Whewell, whose Report stands at the 
commencement of the volume. 
The point of view in which he was 
directed to contemplaie the subject, 
possesses an interest to all who are en- 
gaged in the investigation of natural 
phenomena, whatever may have been 
the particular bent to which their re- 
searches have been directed. 
All the physical sciences aspire to be- 
come in time mathematical :^he summit 
of their ambition, and the ultimate aim 
of the efforts of their votaries, is to ob- 
tain their recognition as the worthy 
sisters of the noblest of these sciences — 
Physical Astronomy. But their reception 
into thi'^ priveleged and exalted order is 
not a point to be lightly conceded; nor 
are the s()eculations of modern times to 
be admitted into this august circle, mere- 
ly because their admirers have chosen 
to cast over them a garb, oftentimes ill- 
fitting and inappropriate, of mathemati- 
cal symbols. To weight the credentials 
of the three physical sciences which have 
been pointed out as mathematical, was 
therefore a proper office for the Associa- 
tion to impose upon one of its members; 
and I believe it will be found that no 
small light has been thrown upon the 
subject by the manner in which that 
trust has been discharged. 
With regard, however, to Magnetism, 
which forms one of the subjects of Mr. 
Whewell's Report, much still remains 
to be done, before the mathematician 
can flatter himself that a secure founda- 
tion for his calculations has been esta- 
blished ; and the materials for this foun- 
dation must be collected from such a 
variety of isolated points, distant one 
from the other, both in time and place, 
dependant for their accuracy upon the 
occurence of favourable circumstances, 
and, after all, demanding from the ob- 
server an uncommon union of skill and 
experience, that there is perhaps no sci- 
entific undertaking for which the 
co-operation of public bodies, and even 
of governments, is more imperiously 
demanded; and the Association has, in 
consequence, both engaged its members 
