OTAGO INSTITUTE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 3283, 14 August 1872, Page 2

OTAGO INSTITUTE.

An ordinary meeting of the Institute was : held lost evening in tiie University Building. The attendance was rather small. The business of the meeting 'Was introduced by the following addram, delivered by the President, His Honour Mr Justice Chapman.:— We meet this evening to inaugurate the fourth year of the Otago Institute. And ; Jirsfc, 1 have to thank you for again electing, me President. At, the same time, you must : permit me to suggest that this office should I not be permitted to devolve, as of courue, continuously on the name individual. The infusion of new blood js salutary to au Institution like this. Many of our member* are more masters of their time than I am, and on Beveral occasions, when I have cape- j eialy desired to attend the meetings of the ( Society, I have been prevented either by absence at the Court of Appeals or on circuit, or by my engagements here. There are also many members of (scientific attain- j menfca, whose election to the office of President would tend to promote the success of the Institute. I therefore hope that at the - election of officers for the year, 1873-4, your choice will fall upon some worthy successor. The constitution of this Society,, and others of a similar cliarac- j ter in elote union with the Now Zealand lustitnt •, seems to mo to bo highly favourable I to the promotion of science. Taking our own Society alone, it provide/* for the free I interchange of the scientific knowledge and , scientific thought, poaacMsed and Capable of/, being communicated by each and ail of the . ! hicmbera. U nho lumwhi'i) the wholesome , I stimulus of emnlation ami friendly coinpc- ( tition. It has another advantage, ' apart from science—its primary object. It has a social usefulness. It brings together, in ! friendly social interconrac, men who from j their private engagements and pursuits, or, remoteness from each other, might never btherwHO Jiave mi opportunity of meeting. ; The New Zealand Institute perfo m» f«ir the ( Bcver.il societies united with ifc,thatwhich each . »rjcietyj'lm* for its own members. It makes ' common property of the contributions of all. (Whatever is useful in the deliberatinnß arid .- proceedings of one, is thrown into the com- ' mon stock, with a salutary powerof irejec- J j iion and selection, Tha four volumes oi' Transactions bear witness to this. No one ' society, howsoever able its uiciulh*^ or bow-. J /soever liberally supported, could have pro- ' tluced, Jj'ttsh. a vnluvJo body of scientific in- ' \ formation aa w» fin.l in the volumes to which j j I have alluded. Nor could all the societies, : j working independently, have done so. ~The, Ny re pecuniary economy of the present ar- j ; rangement is a source of efficiency which no \ amount of isolated energy could'attatu. Alt ', share in the liberality of the Legislature The power of selection, too, to which I have i alluded, whichinvolvearejection,basirapart«d j to the Transactions a character which has; '■ called forth commendation from the scientfic t | i bodies of other countries. A few words j upon the history of these institutions will, I j trust, be deemed not out of place. The lirafc , j attempt to establish a scientific body in New . j Zealand- was the New Zealand .Society, itj ] ! 1851. Its chief promoter Was Sir George . CJrey. It had about 70 members, and I had j the honour of being one of its Vice-Presi- : dents. Among the member* were several < gentlemen of scientific attaiutneats, and 1 others not unversed in literature. I'may ] mention the names of the la'e Mr Swainson, 1 the well-known naturalist; Me Walter Man- 1 tell, a geologist by descent ; Dr Sinclair, an 1 accomplished botauist; Dr Ralph, a skilful i inilroscopisb; aud there were others. At < that time, however, the whole Colony con- j tamed only about 32,000 Europeaiis—ecat- i tered over the wfr>le length and breadth of < the two islands; and it cannot; be matter ] for surprise that the society,.though well j intentioued, languished; arid, I believe, after 1 a few years died wh.it must be deemed a ha- i tural <leath. But lot us be grateful to it, as ] the precursor and germ, anil perhaps even the i suggestor of the existing well-established j Institute., The New Zealand Institute owes i its existence to the " New Zealand Institute i Act, 1807." The geological survey of ihe i country is very wisely one of' the* principal i objects connected .with the Institute, and, the IJ Governor is empowered to appoint * manager j of snch enrvey, ami also assistants. Brooch' i societies may l>e incorporated ,with tbe^ Fir-1; jl stitute, and-when so inc»rpoirate4*i«*^ ; lso r s'i I ciety elects a member to vote for the etoetedy j| governors. Practically, this give* to each i Society a voice and inflaenee in the Institute, i Although I cannot bat lament the, lon of Dr i

Hector to this Province, I think that tho«er whom I am now addressing will rejoice thai; go able, ami accomplished a nian haw been «- curai as the animating spirit of the Xew Zealand Institute. Of bm scientific attainment* no one lias any doubt; but it ia not all who ■ are aware how well fitted ho is to direct the affairs of the Institute, by his genial nature, his equanimity, and his cheerful readiness to assist tho3o who are in search of scientific knowledge The Transactions boar witness to his firmness, discrimination, and skill as an editor. The Wellington Philosophical,;. Society, which, from its locality, has a closer connection with the Institute than more distant Societies can.have, number* among its members several men of high scientific attaiikuicuta, nor is any one of the Societies destitute of members capable of making valuable | contributions to the common stock of scientific ideas. sir George Bowcn, the Governor, 1 as directly promoted the success of the Institute, and indirectly that of the affiliated Societies by his zeal, and especially by his i eueiuiragiug addresses. When the Now Zealand Institute Act was passed in ISGT, several local Societies were, ia existence, doing j yeoman service no doubt, Iml. limited in j their range of usefulness by tbo feebleness incidental to locjil eflbrt. The Now Zealand Institute imparted to them a new character ; j and tho service was mutual, for without them the Institute itself would have been a. mere incorporeal entity—but little better than a phantom. In June, IS<>B—the year after the passing of the Act—tho "Wellington Philosophical tSociety and the Auckland ln~ j stitutc were incorporated with the NowZea- | land Institute, and in October of tho same venr the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury and the Westland Naturalists and Acclimatisation Society followed. By this solid and compact union, the New Zealand Institute became M'hat the French cnll an foiC (itronijili. From my connection with the old ' Society of 1851, and from my previous intercourse with Dr Hector, I naturally felt a strong interest in the new Society. Its constitution seemed to mo to be sound—an opinion, frilly borne out by results ; and as there was j then no similar body near n:y own home, E at once joined the new Society. Our own Society did not hi g lag behind its predect'SS'tn). The Otago Institute dates from July, ISG9, under the presidency of Mr Justice Ward, and on my return from .Kuroj>€ in. 187 ' I found it in full vigour. In January, IST I, the Nelson " Association for the promotion of Science and Industry" was established under tho presidency of Sir David Mouro. Both these Societies were at once incorporated with tho Institute, so that at this time the New Zealand Institute may be ! characterised, not by perfect resemblance, but by analogy not very remote —as a quasi- ,' University of Science, composed of six scientific colleges, with a-general rcstir.- ------• blance to each other, ami yet with suilicicnt variety in their objects to impart vigour to Ihe whole; and render more profitable that in' ci change of thought between. ' them, thai w-mld be practicable umoug i«>lated bodies all cast in the same rigid andL ! unvarying mould, liith no the attention of all tlu'so societies has boon directed prin- ■ eipally. but not quite ex •lusivcly. to what ! arc call d thenttural and physical sciences. ' ; Of these, unloubtedly j^o'ojjy and her tw'u. ' siskr mineralogy are of the ureatest impori tance to us. JSew Zealand is especially rich i in in neral resources—sMd, iron, and other 1 metals, and coaL Unscientific enterprise .-' may devclopc, mid ind;:i-d has developed, I tlu-Hc resources to a considerable extent; but they are capable of bcin^ rendered available , •with immeasurably gre.iicr rapidity, if energy .: be directed by scientific knowledge. Now, all science is misccptihlc of two distinct; kinds of progress. First there is the improvement and development of science itself—the incroAse of the sum total of scientific knowledge ; and, secondly, the extension of the existing stock of scientific knowledge, be it great or wnall, among; thope who may reap practical benefit from, it. One of our poets has Baid— A little Vnowleilgn is a, <Ung<>raiiH thing:, Drink deep, or taste not——. No doubt, full, accurate, and exhaustive knowledge in better than the poet's little ; knowledge ; but, practically, a little knowledge is better than no knowledge at all; and j although superficiality i'h to lx> avoided, yet the communication of even a little knowledge, if that little be Bound in itself, is ira the highcßt degree useful. Tho miner/works with more certainty, and with less risk of , failure, if armed with even a small amount, of geological and miucralogical science, pro- | vided that the little which is imparted t<* i him by fbe man of science Ik; accurate ; Tho farmer, too, without aiming at being a J great chemist, is wived from many disappointments by cv. n a " little knowledge" of '• that department <»f chemistry which treats * of noils and tho food of plants. Other industrial pursuits arc capable of being (similarly . aided. 1 was therefore not sorry to see that- ' , the* youngest of our Societies—that of Nelson ! —makci tho promotion of industry one of its objects, coupling it with the promotion Aof science. If tho Transactions be exteii- ■ ' eively rend, they cannot fail to promote the I fcejond mode of extoiuling Hcicuco.andthc Prewt throughout the country has a useful functionJ to perform, by extracting biicU portion* of our , Transaction')*'its may be of practical utility ta j the miner, the fanner, ami other developers; of the Uiitural resources of the cminlry. Bilk , the natural or physical sciences dd not erliaust what .is comprehended in the word science ; ami cur field eceniß to me to be of ' ranch wider extent. There ia a science i«. ! every department of human ilflo-wledge:* j'Even our ii)a,'?Jy KngHish *\wfii have their , scion*.e ; lhat U, their ojicrations are referred^ to principles and reduced to rules. Niebuhr | las taught us that there is a science of ' historical criticism. Look at our best modem \ histories, as compared with tho dry chro- ' nicies of the middle agec. The historian now dives into the springs of human acikm j he applies a rigid criticism even to the facte 'previously acftDtud as'historical, and be ! arrives at conclusion* with a tl'."^ r«e of mora| ' certainly nmttainnbie in early tune?. ■■■• Thi 1 early history of the native race of Ncw'Zta^ ! lamlis not mworthy of the labours of the ' critical; hiutorian. Tiicir traditions aif sworthy of being collected and crUicaHy elf ■j krnined, upon r"ecogni«edprinciples whicU eon- ,: [stituto the science of history The language , of the Maori, beyond all doubt, i* a member ' of* the widely spread Polyh&iun ' family? H-8 own tradition points to Hawaiki asthJ 'piece whence he came, and Hawailu is no more than ft Hugu'ißtic variety of the name: Hawaii, and the two languages have no more differences than are capable of Jx.ing ac- ; counted for,by (Jrimm's law. Philology ie now copio-.ifly npplicil to the tenting ot tra- ' ditious. Tin's fcJuciety, hag already contributed something to the'common stock under ,' this head in thii most interesting papir read* '. to tiiis Society by. Mr J. T. TJioni3<m, and ! printed in the fourth volume just issue L ) But we in Otago are too remote from the ! great seats of the Maori population to be favourably situated even for the collection, of facts. The Northern Societies, however, have the fact* at th«;ir very doors, and 1 cannot help hoping that the attention of some member* «>f those bodies will. be directed to the subject before it becomes too late. There ia another mibjoct, or rather class of dubjeuts, quite within the province of this society. I mean the science of language generally, and tlie science of each particular language in the concrete, and especially of our ort'ii niother Knglish. Mncht has been done of late years,in Europe ia these departments of science." Max Aflillcrhas prodnced two interesting volumes of l©e^ tureH on the.Scicuceof Lrtugit^e, ami he has, l think, succeeded iv showing that there is such a science generally, without reference to particular languages, except for purposes ot illustration. Writers in the- prsaent century (Jriinih in German (tteschichte tier D«mt«chen Spache), and Littre in France {Histoirede Li l.Aiigue Franco «c), iMbam Xbt. England (The English Langnage), ondMartlt hi America' (tcctdrc« on the prigitt «td H»tory of the English Language), nave all .treated their res|KS«tiv« language* more or teas scientifically. Until the present ceiitaty; there were very few dictionaries which were anything more than collections of *rords kitk fancied etymologies, which were often mis4eailiiur. and sometimes falso. Tliediction-

■ ary of the French Academy, the Italian Vocabolnrio della Crimea, and even our own - Johnson's dictionary, ::!! f&H shcrt of the re- • quimnunbs vi the prumil ainU: of philological knov/k-dge. The grfcat German dictionary of (Irrmin, the French dictionary of the learned Littn;, and the new English dictionary of 'Latham, are of a much higher character. It i» of count*; our own speech which is of the niont importance to u» ; and with a few exceptions, at distant intervals, it in only recently that it has been philosophically investigated. This hae I>een much aided by the rcctrnt revival of the p.tiidy of AngloSaxon, which is reaJlv English in its oldest form. To take part in these investigations, with the hop*; of adding something to the <x>ranvm slock of knowledge, is certainly not inewi«M»t«nfc with the general scope and object* of the*« Societies And, lie it observed, that the wider the field which w*j embrace, the wore do we place ourwlvus in communion with the ucienti'ic and learned bodies in Europe and America. In Eughnd, France, and the {'nited States, each science h»a Us distinct wociety. Ccolngi-'al Hooietk'*, geographical societies, botanical societies, antiquarian so- • cicti'i", philological societies, historical so■cietics, and mnt»y others, arc to found in all the countries of' Europe and America. We are far too young,, and our.population is too •small, and" too "much divided for such a •division of scientific labour. The Institute 'm a happy expedient for securing all the advantage* of association which our circumstances admit of. Aud this principle of 'mnton for scientific objects is not with'•ont example in England, where it is ./less nee let than with us. The British Association for the Advancement of Science as of this catholic character, and there is a •certain correspondence and connection (I am not sure whether I should be justified in calling it allilifilioii) observed between some of the metropolitan societies and provincial ««» ■cieties which pursue the same objects. The I {oval Society of Antiquaries, for instance, has some such connection with various local - antiquarian societies j so that the principle of our institute is recognised as sound by those societies which have more experience ■-than we have. What the French call f'r*jtrif *r<i4*or\'Ltion i« in fact one of the characteristic features of the present age. I have alluded to the two kinds of progress of which •is susceptible; ana let it never be forgotten Mi.-.t if in our humble beginning we should add but little, or even nothing, to tin: increase or improvement of science, extension and diffusion are within our reach. But may we not also hope to add something to the general stock 7 Let me say a few words to encourage hope, ami -stimulate exertion, iv that direction. Great . .-aid successful example b cannot fail to animate hope in those who arc laudably ambitious of scientific attainments, and of making some •contribution to the common fund. One of the grandest discoveries of modern times— perhaps the most remarkable discovery of ■ science ever achieved—was effected simultaneously by two mathematicians, but little known at the time. J allude to the div- ■ covery of the planet Neptune. This planet was lit/-rally discovered before it v/nsscen, by ■twoH<;icntifienicn, act ing entirely withoutcoii•cert ThuHu men were known rather an skilful mathcmaticMMiK than as astronomers. They 'were Leverricr, of Paris, and Adams, of '■Cambridge. The planet Uranus had been •discovered by the elder Hcr*chel in I "HI, J hiring the ensuing half century its orbit '{had been observed and calculated and recalculated over and over again. Its theoretical orbit is of course an ellipse, but its actual and observed orbit differs from its 'theoretical orbit. That is, its orbit as it • ought to be is found to be disturbed or perturbed. These perturbations, as they are •called, Merc accurately observed And recorded, not only by Iferschel himself, but by hosts of astronomers in all parts of Europe. Now, all except a fraction of these per- ' iurbations were capable of bci»g accounted for, and laid down with precision, as caused ■by the attraction of Saturn ami Jupiter. The « combined influence of the smaller planets— Mars, the Earth, Venus, and Mercury—was •so small as to bo left out of account ; for • besides their immense distance from Uranus, "* the size of the Earth, as compared with that •of Jupiter, is about that of a pea to a mode-rate-sized orange. But it was found that, ■ after giving due effect to the attraction of • Jupiter and .Saturn —which could be exactly • estimated—there remained certain perturbations still unaccounted for ; and it was con/joctured that these might be due to some unTinown planetary mass far beyond the orbit of Uranus. Levcrrier and Adams, unknown to each other, imposed each upon him.•self the gigantic labour of determining •the place of this unknown planetary mass, by inference from the known and accurately irworded perturbations. The converse prowess was familiar to mathematical astronomers, that is : Given the mass aud density of a planet, and its distance from the affected foody, t\\v> perturbation could b« found ; but !no one, I believe, before their time had had ■the courage to grapple with the problem :-— . Given.the perturbation of the affected planet, • wnatHL the place of the unkuown disturbing body? However, after labour which is almost incomprehensible to persons not iv .nome degree familiar with such calculations, .-.Adams and Leverrier both came to nearly the same conclusion at the same time, the difference between the two results being .very trilling. In September, 1840, Lcverrier ~wroi>e to Dr. Galle, of Berlin, announcing the result at which he had arrived, givI'.ng him the heliocentric longitude of the \ planet for the 23rd September, and requesting him to look for the disturbing planet in -or near the place pointed out. On the 23rd *»3ftptember, Dr. Galle, assisted by M. Ei c'<e, discovered what then appeared to be a Btar of the eighth magnitude, very near the place indicated, but either from its distance, or /Jrura the insufficient power of |the instruiw.eut, it did not exhibit a defined disc, so as to enable the observers at once to determine itd planetary character. There was, however, no star in that place in the i most recent catologue. Star or planet vwiis a question which could not be solved vxt once, and Galle had to wait until the following night with what patience Jic could. Then, indeed, the newly diseo'Cored body had moved in its orbit, and its true planetary character was placed beyond doubt. Sul.-scquont observations have since proved that it is to this planet, r^Kfce called Neptune, that the perturbations . already mentioned must, according to the .Newtonian law of gravity, be assigned. This narrative is calculated to stimulate the study •of science. It shews what human perse■verancc governed by science can effect. Not that it is given to many men to discover a planet or a star ; but science has numerous fields of emiuiry, which are open to the aspiring student, and in which every one ■may hpc to discover something new .and usetul to his fellow men. Scarcely inferior to this as a scientific discovery by the mere force of reasoning, and superior in practical results, is that which is described ;!i»y Tvndall in one of his admirable lectures, namely, the discovery, or rather invention, of the barometer, which was arrived .at by a process of scientific reasoning. It grew out of the common pump. About 103*2, the Grand Duke of Tuscany was -.desirous of improving tho public gardens of Florence ; ami, in order to raise water to .a considerable height, he ordered some large pumps •■to be made. When they were set to work, it was found that the water - would not rise above 32 feet. What could ,be the cause of this? The hypothesis then current was, that nature abhorred a vacunm. Had her supposed abhorrence a limit? The problem was submitted to Galileo, but ho was then in an ill humour, in consequence of the persecutions of the Church for his heretical and unseriptural doctrine that tho . earth moves round the sun; and he answered sulkily that ho supposed that nature only abhorred a vacunm up to 32 feet. • The real meaning of his answer was that he was unable to solve the problem. But it was taken up by his -pupil, Torricelli. He .assumed that the water 'could not move up the exhausted cylinder of the pump without - the application of some external force, and iie conjectured that that force was the

i weight of the column of the atmosphere. i Gallic Lad previously proved that air is not . ■ destitute of weight. TorricelJi then reasontd . thus: If the weight of the atmospheric . column be the exact equivalent of the weight > of 32 feet of water, then, inasmuch aa jner- . cury is about 13 times oh heavy as water, . tin; column of air ought to support about 30 i inches of mercury, This grand scientific i conception being once generated, the proof i was easy. Torrieclli took a glass tube about - three ftct long, closed—that its, hermetically • Healed—a!; one end. Into the open end he ■ poured mercury until it was full, then closing ; the orifie-3 with his finger or thumb, lie inverted the tube and plunged his hand ■ into an open basin of mercury, ujfoit • the surface of which the external air : could freely act. He then removed his hand, and you may judge of his delight when he found that the mercury fell to about 30 ; inches, and there stopped. Tin's experiment was noon followed by another, which confirmed TorricelJi's theory (if indeed it needed confirmation). The French philosopher, Blaise Pascal, reasoned thus :— If Torricelli be right, if the water in the pump, and the mercury in the tube, be equally supported by the weight of the atmospheric column, then, an we decrease the height and weight of that column by ascending a mountain, the mercury ought to fall. Accordingly, lie ascended the Puy de Dome, taking with him what we may now call a mercurial barometer, which he found to fall a8 he ascended, and rise again as he descended, with perfect regularity. Now, although we cannot hope to match the grand discoveries which i have justdescribed, Ictthis •Society, and others connected with the New Zealand Institute, comfort and animate them* selves with this reflection, that we enjoy, as the scene of our operations, anew country, aud a comparatively unexplored field; and not only may we a/Id materially to the common stocic j of scientific knowledge, but we may exercise a much more useful function—we may each in our humble sphere of life aid in the extension and diffusion of scientific knowledge among those who by their practical skill arc i best able to turn it to -profitable account. Another word of encouragement to those who arc actively engaged in the ordinary business of life. The highest attainments of science have not been con lined to those who have de-voted themselves exclusively to scientific pursuits. Merchants, banker*, clergymen, lawyers, musicians, medical men —actively engage I in their respective professions and callings—-have rendered themselves eminent in sciriice by study during their hours of leisure. Lord. Bacon, a lawyer, and Lord High Chancellor of England, is considered the founder of the inductive philosophy, the true method of "interrogating nature," to use his own expression. David Hi* a do, author of tho Principles of Political Economy and Taxation, was an active and successful member of the •Stock Exchange. Thomas Tooke, tho author of the History of Prices, and a scientific writer on currency, was a Kussian merchant, aud at a time, too, when merchants had a prejudice against the science. George Groto was a banker when he commenced his truly philosophical History of Ancient Greece, and became an active member of Parliament during the progress of his work. John 'Stuart Mill, when he wrote his admirable "System of I/i^ic, Katiocinative, and Inductive," and his " Principles of Political Economy," was a laborious officer of the East India Company. It is only his recent works that can be considered as the fruit of "a learned leisure." His philosophical A'orks are enough for a long life of thought, and yet between thirty and forty years of that life were occupied in a laborious ami responsible ofiice. Ihe Power-loom was invented by tho Kcv. Edmund Gartwright—a country clergyman. The great bell at the New Houses of Parliament was planned, and the casting thereof superintended, by a barrister and a clergyman—-E. Beckct Demson and the Kcv. W. Taylor ; and it is a curious coincidence that the lirst bell ever cast in England was cast by Turkctcl, Chancellor to the •Saxon King Edmund the Elder. Another barrister, Benjamin ltotch, was the inventor of tho patent fid, now universally used in ships for securing topmasts. And to descend to smaller things, but still with a scientific element, another barrister, whose name I forget, was the inventor of a machine for making coffee — scientific in its principle, simple in its contrivance. The safety valve of the steara-cu-gine, or rather the mode of rendering it selfacting, is said to have been. iuvented by an idle boy to save his own labour. The great astronomer, Sir Win. Hcrsclicl, was by profession an organist. Music was the busiiicbb of his life, astronomy his recreation, until, in process of time, they changed places. Grove, the author of one of the most profound and able works of modern science, an " liagay on the Correlation of Forces"—a work which ranks side by side with the scientific writings of Tymlall and Huxley —was a practising barrister, then a Queen s Counsel, and is now one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas at Westminster. It will be obvious, therefore, that not one of the ordinary pursuits of active life is inconsistent with the prosecution of science. All such active pursuits afford some hours of leisure. There is a conventional " day's work" in all,occupations, aud when the mind once becomes habituated to healthy activity, inaction becomes unendurable ; and we naturally crave some new occupation for our hours of leisure. To all such craving spirits this Society offers comfort and help, co-operation and enconragement. Mr J. >S. Wkhis said , that the President's address was remarkably appropriate in having brought into notice some things which it wa« necessary that some one with authority should mention. He knew that there were many gentlemen among them competent to take part iv those meetings, who had all along kept back too much. This was owing, he thought, in the first place, to the fact that they fancied something great was expected from them, forgetting that they appreciated any honest effort to iritparr knowledge and increase the common stock when they themselves were the recipients ; and failing to deduce from that fact that their own efforts would be reed veil with j thankfulness, ftn<l thai the s'hmllust effort would have its value. In the second place, they forgot that the object of the .Institute should be to diffuse knowledge ob well as to seek after the production of original matter. There were a great many whom he knew, lM)th present and absent, who could put together the knowledge.'they'possessed,'and impart it iv a inauner which would be very pleasing to the members, and which they would be very thankful for. He himself proposed at their next meeting to set a good example—(hear)—by endeavouring, not to impart anything original, but to gather together information not to be found in text books, &c, respecting'the recent progress of some branches of science. He hoped to find the experiment successful in drawing from his fellow members similar efforts, i if r Roiikrt Gillies thought that if their meetings were to partake more of a conversational character, probably more interest would be taken in them. He 'felt very much interested in the remarks made by thePresi- I dent with reference to the science of language, aud the enormous strides it had.made since it was started. There could be yery little doubt that it would in future greatly revolutionise their ideas with regard to many things in the world. With reference to this branch of science, he came across a statement which might not have come under the notice of members of the Institute. They were all aware that the Indo-European languages had mostly two bases, winch were tunned the Turanian and Semitic. The Semitic languages had undergone a searching investigation, but hitherto all attempts to trace the foundation of the Turanian line had to a I great extent failed. A short time ago lie 1 i read a report of an address delivered by the I Professor of Japanese in the Paris University. In that address the Professor stated 'that in the Japanese language were to be I \ found the germs of tho Turanian language, ' j which had been ao long sought for. I 1 After sonic formal business had been transacted, and a paper read by Mr Webb describi ing the Bovichthys, the meeting terminated.