Ixx 
REPORT- 1854 . 
Committee of this Association, and the results have been already seen in the 
increased attention of Parliament and Government to scientific objects. Still, 
however, in regard to science, I must admit that there is one great deficiency; 
for often may it be said of science, as was said satirically of virtue by the 
poet, laudatur cl a (get ,— it is praised and starves. Tin: man of science may 
not desire to live luxuriously; he may not (nor ought he) desire to rival his 
neighbours in the follies of equipage and ostentation, which are often, 
indeed, rather a burden imposed by the customs of society than an udvantagf 
or even a gratification to the parlies themselves; but he must live; and for 
the sake ol science itself heoughttobe able to live free from those anxious ears 
for the present and the future or from the calls of a profession, which often 
beset and burden his laborious career. Why was our Dalton compelled to 
waste the powers of such an intellect on private teaching? As a teacher,a 
physician, or a clergyman, or more rarely as a partner iu a profitable patent, 
such a man may earn a competence, and give to science the hours which can 
be spared from his other avocations; and it is indeed astonishing what 
results have been the produce of these leavings of a laborious life,— there 
leisure hours, if mo they may be called, of men who are engaged iu arduous 
duties of another kind. IJut this ought not to be ; and it will not long l>e, I 
am confident. It must give way before the extended cultivation of science 
i se . he means of occupation in connexion with uur schools and our cot* 
Jeges, and our examinations, will increase; and I cannot but hope that a 
m* ?. u 00uut, y insist upon her benefactors in science receiving a more 
!eet rLh* bo . unt y tlian , l ‘M hitherto been allotted them, if I recol* 
the Ki,ppp ’ r'l 1 °O ie } 200 /’ w, 'ich are annually appropriated in pensions to 
bluCFKS of science, literature, and art, a poor pension of# 
Portioutl nZfi feU t° ** ]ot t,f «*»»«» : and in former yeirs the dispro* 
Literature and* A roma,? W>le. I do not grudge their share to 
Science are at * **** 1 c< ? n *®f g * cailOot but consider that the labours of 
least aneoual elni| St ° ei l ua va * lle ,(> a nation’s welfare; that they have at 
less need of eno ™ u P on ,er 8 rat >tude, and I am sure that they stand in no 
Nor f * ncou ™Senient and support. * 
elusive that lbe atud . v ° r Science should over become too «- 
smother those more ethiS^moreeb tl,ak U * hould 0Ver S‘‘ 0W J'" 1 
gl '?nth r fi « e T nuh 0f ™ ^IndArt Cd ’ Whi ° h UT(> 
exercise of thoucht °* ® c ‘ enc ? u pon the patient and laborious 
ever become the favourite l°°, 8ever ®* to ^ake it likely that it should 
mind of the student is often U< ^ *• le man y* In Art and Literature the 
enjoyment of the banonet '“®P arat, 7«*y passive, in a state of almost passive 
Science the student must him by others; in the pursuits of 
throw up bis oars * r hard for his intellectual fare. He cannot 
which his progress is to be made ’ HDd ta ^ e his lull share in the labour by 
„ No1 '. when I rem? 
our"f) Stei ’ a IIll 8h Miller, ora°£tedjS L " hewell, and a Herschel, and a 
denri ayS li can * see reason rij, ,C ^ a,, ‘ , n hundred others, the glory of 
racter ,nind oP imagination fJ a I > P r fhanding that the study of Science 
' Ami ltS 7 U>ra| an ‘I religious ton f oP £ race and beauty, or the cha* 
moment th« £ dieaand genUemen Th'v °i evati ™ refinement. 
character of a represen tati vedonp * Once more assuming for a 
representative of this great town, I welcome you, 
