ADDRESS. 
XXXI 
great, perhaps, for any one individual—are supplied by the combined exer¬ 
tions of many kindred followers of science. 
It is another result of the circulation of these star-maps, that a new visitor, 
a comet, can hardly be within the range of a telescope for a few hours with¬ 
out his presence being discovered and announced through Ktirope. Those 
comets which have been of larger apparent diiuensions, or wlurh have con¬ 
tinued longer within view, have, indeed, for more than 3000 years l>een 
observed with more or less ai:t:uracy; their orbit* have been calculated; 
and the return of some has been determined w ith a precision which in pn»t 
ages exercised the wonder of nations; but now, improved map* of the heaven*, 
and improved instrument* by which the stranger* who pass along tho«e hea¬ 
vens are observed, carry knowledge where conjecture lately dared not to 
penetrate. It is not that more comets exist, as has somcliiiic* been said, but 
more are observed. 
An Englishman— a subject of this United Kingdom—cannot refer to the 
enlarged means of astronomical observation enjoyed by the present age 
without some allusion to tJie noble Earl, Lord Hosse, one of the Vice-Pre¬ 
sidents of this meeting, who, himself educated amongst u* here in Oxford, ha* 
devoted large means and untiring labour to the completion of the most w on¬ 
derful telescope which science, art, and wealth have ever yet combined to 
perfect; and which tho Dean of Ely —a man worthy to praise the work— 
pronounced to bo a rare combination of mechanical, chemical, and mathema¬ 
tical skill and knowledge. Its actual operation* have been impended by a 
cause not less lionourahle to Lord llosse in anoiJjer character than the con¬ 
ception and early progress of liis great instrument were to him as a roan of 
science. They have btton retartled, so far a* he himself is concerned, by the 
more imnjediatc, and. I will say, higher duties which, as a niagistrate, a* a 
landowner, and as a Christian gentleman, he owed, and has hecn paying to 
his neigJibours, his tenantry, and his country, during the late aweful visitation 
which has afflicted Ireland. Yet perhaps my noble friend will permit roe to 
say, that while we not only do not hlame him— we even praise him cordially 
for having devoted hi* tune, his mind, and liis wealth to those claims which 
could not be postponed, since they nflected the live# of those wlio in God’s 
providence surrounded hira—there were, and there are, others, two, at least, 
in ills own country, aud one his most illustrious friend, Dr. Kobiusou (but I 
speak without any communication on the subject from that great observer 
and greater philosopher), who might have carried on the obiervation# with 
this wonderful telescope, and might thus have obtained for hi* own division 
of the empire, if not the discovery of the new planet, at least the first aisurcd 
knowledge of its form and of its satellites. 
I he Catalogues of Lacaille aud of the Histoirc Celeste are now before the 
world; and with the Catalogue of our Association constiiuie a aerie* of most 
important gifts conferred on astronomy, I have already aaid that I will not 
presume to measure the relative merit# of two ctuineut individual# ; it i# a* 
little within my power to measure tho value of sucli gift* to science. 1 hat 
value can be duly appreciated liy none but the great roaitcta of this, the 
^eatest of the •ctences: but 1 may be permitted to add, that here, * 1 * 0 , come 
into beneficial action the j>*)wer» iiiri the use* of such an Association ; which, 
rising above the mere calculations of pecuniary profit, provide* for the few, 
who only are capable of extracting the ju»t bcnelii from such works, those 
materials of advancing knowledge whicli arc beyond the reach of individual#. 
The Astronomer Hoyal l»as done me the honour and the kindac##, by a 
paper which I have just received from him, to make me the vehicle of com- 
