96 
SECOND REPORT- 1835 . 
is unnecessary even to endeavour to press the importance of As¬ 
sociations, which have for their object to extend the bounds of 
human knowledge, and to give man a larger empire over nature. 
“I should, however, ill discharge the duty which is placed upon 
me as your organ at the present moment, and I should ill 
satisfy the wishes of my own mind, if I surrendered this office 
into the hands of my reverend and learned friend, who sits near 
me, without expressing the gratitude which I feel, in common I 
believe with every other Member of the Association, to the consti¬ 
tuted authorities of this University, whohave so kindly welcomed 
us here. Confident I am that they will never have reason to 
repent of the favour which they have shown us, in permitting 
the Meeting to assemble within these walls, but will reflect 
with well-founded satisfaction on the encouragement now af¬ 
forded to an institution, the object and tendency of which is to 
promote the highest and most important interests of man ;—I 
say, Gentlemen, his highest and most important interests : for 
were I to be asked what is the chief use of any new facts which 
we may be enabled to add to the stock of our knowledge, or 
what is the greatest value of any new inference which may be 
deduced from those facts of which we are already in possession, 
I should answer, that the principal use of such knowledge and 
such reasoning is to lead man to lift up his mind and his heart 
to his Maker ; and in comparing his own inability (of which the 
greater is his knowledge, the deeper must his conviction be), in 
comparing the inability of the creature with the stupendous 
works of creation, to imbibe a deeper feeling of religious awe, 
and acquire a stronger sense of the reverence and duty which 
he owes to the power, the wisdom, and the beneficence of the 
Creator. It is on this ground especially that every reflecting 
mind will rejoice in the advancement of Science; and it is, I 
doubt not, to similar views of the value of every improvement 
in the knowledge of nature, that we are to ascribe the recep¬ 
tion with which our Association is honoured in this ancient seat 
of learning and religion.” 
The President elect, the Rev. Dr. Buckland, then took the 
Chair, and addressed the Meeting in the following manner: 
“ My Lords, and Gentlemen, 
s ‘ I cannot enter on the duties of my office without ac¬ 
knowledging, with the deepest gratitude, the honour which the 
Association has conferred upon me, and without thanking my 
noble predecessor for the undeserved compliment which he has 
been pleased to pay me. The objects of this Meeting have been 
so fully, philosophically, and eloquently set forth, in the Report 
