I»26 NEW VIGOUR INFUSED IN THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION. 
men of eminence in every department 
upon which the human mind can be 
exercised, and which would have felt 
that no higher honour could have been 
bestowed upon its present Meeting, 
than by the attendance of the great 
poet, and the great sculptor, who own 
Bristol as their native city. 
To alter indeed the character of the 
period in which we live, is as much be- 
yond the efforts of individuals, as to fix 
the time of their birth, or the country 
and station in which their lot is cast ; 
and it is perhaps inevitable, that an age 
and country so distinguished above all 
others for the advancement of arts and 
manufactures, should attach an increased 
importance to those sciences on which 
both the latter are depended. But it is 
at least cosolatory to reflect, that Provi- 
dence has attached to every one of those 
conditions of society through which na- 
tions are destined to pass, capabilities of 
moral and intellectual improvement, 
and that the very sciences which so am- 
ply minister to our physical enjoyments, 
also afford the means of those higher 
gratifications which spring from the 
exercise of the taste and imagination. 
Thus, although it may not be easy for 
the citizen to indul. e to any extent in 
studies alien from the pursuits which 
engross his hours of business, yet it 
cannot be deemed incompatible with 
the latter, to mount up to the principles 
of those sciences which are connected 
with the arts he practises ; to study their 
relation one to the other ; and to ac- 
quaint himself with the steps by which 
they have reached their present emi 
nence. It cannot but be useful to the 
chemical manufacturer to study the laws 
of that molacular attraction which 
binds together the elements of the sub- 
stances which he prepares ; to the 
mechanic to examine the process of the 
arts in connexion with the general laws 
of matter ; to the miner or landsurvey- 
or, to inform himself with respect to the 
physical structure of the globe ; to the 
agriculturist, to become acquainted with 
tbe principles of vegetable physiology, 
and the natural relations of plants. 
For my own part, intimately connect- 
ed as I am, both with the first of the 
commercial cities, and also with the 
fiistofthe universities, that welcomed 
the British Association within its pre- 
cincts, warmly interested in the pros- 
perity of both, and officiating as Local 
Secretary on either occasion, I have 
felt personally gratified at seeing the 
selection of the«e places justified by the 
cordiality of our reception in both, and 
at witnessing the new vigour which has 
been infused into the Association, in 
consequence of the support it has there- 
in received. But how much will that 
gratification be augmented, if it should 
be found hereafter, benefit in either case 
has been mutual; that these Meetings 
have cemented those bonds of union be- 
tween the academical and the commer- 
cial portion of the British community, 
which it is so desirable to maintain ; and 
that, whilst the University to which I 
belong has reaped advantange, by hav- 
ing its attention called to the interest 
felt in physical sciences generally 
throughout the kingdom, my fellow- 
citizens here will in like manner catch 
the spirit which pervades our body, and 
will engage in the pursuit of science 
with a juster conception of its high ob- 
jects, and with a zeal and devotion to 
its cause, which will not be less practi- 
cally useful, because it is stimulated by 
a more disinterested love of truth ; less 
capable of ministering to the operation 
of the arts, because it is also rendered 
subservient to mental discipline and 
improvement. 
John Taylor, Esq. Treasurer of the 
Association, then read the account of 
the receipts and expenditure, made up 
to the middle of July this year ; from 
which it aj)peared that the 
B.ilaiice ill iiand at ilm last w.t 9 £5oa 16 3 
Ueceived from Members at Duliiiii. and 
since 2173 0 0 
Amoniit of Interest, Dividends, &c. .. I27 in <> 
Sale of volumes of their rransaclion .. 375 S fl 
£3185 15 0 
The F.xoenditnre was as follows ; — 
F.xpenses of meetinii at Dublin £^^5 18 0 
Viiiioiis local pxpens.-s 121 19 0 
Piticbase of £i000. Three per Cetit, 
Consols 916 5 0 
Snlaries 230 0 0 
Grants for various Scientific piiri. OSes. 457 0 6 
Printing Third Volume of Transac- 
tions 517 16 0 
Other Printing 6118 0 
Sundries 43 8 7 
,^2577 4 7 
reaving a balance in hand at present of about 
The total amount of property belong- 
ing to the Association at present, includ- 
ing the value of a number of copies of 
their Transactions, is about 4,564/. 
Mr. Taylor further states that the num- 
ber of tickets issued up to that time was 
at least 1000, the largest number that 
