HANDBOOK OF THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOR THE Advancement of Science. BY MRS. WILLIAM FISON, AUTHOR OF 66 THE HANDBOOK OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE PROMOTION OF SOCIAL Inscribed, by Permission, 10 SIR RODERICK IMPEY MURCHISON, G.C.St.S., PRESIDENT R. G.S., DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF "All nature is but art unknown to thee; All chance, direction which thou canst not see; All discord, harmony not understood; All partial evil, universal good." LONDON: LONGMAN, GREEN, LONGMAN, AND ROBERTS. MDCCCLIX. 198. C. 25. TO SIR RODERICK IMPEY MURCHISON, G.C.ST.S., PRESIDENT R.G.S., DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY AS ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE, AND AS ONE OF THE MOST ILLUSTRIOUS PIONEERS IN THE SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS OF GREAT BRITAIN, THROUGH HIS GEOLOGICAL RESEARCHES AND DISCOVERIES, AND HIS INDEFATIGABLE LABOURS IN PROMOTING THE IMPROVEMENT OF SCIENTIFIC EDUCATION, THIS ATTEMPT TO ILLUSTRATE THE IMPORTANT RESULTS OF THEORETICAL SCIENCE, EXHIBITED IN A HANDBOOK OF THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION, Es Enscribed, WITH HIS KIND PERMISSION, BY THE AUTHOR. PREFACE. IN 1856, when the British Association held its Meeting at Cheltenham, the author was engaged, by the editor of the Leisure Hour, to attend, and report its proceedings for that journal. Through the kindness of the founders of the British Association, Sir David Brewster, Sir Roderick Murchison, Dr. Daubeny, General Sabine, Professor Phillips, and others, the author was then put in possession of valuable materials for drawing up an account of the "Rise and Progress of the Association," which was at first only intended for the readers of the Leisure Hour, but subsequently was published under the title of "A Sketch of the Rise and Progress of the British Association." The favourable reception of that little work, and a high estimate of the importance of a steady pursuit of abstract science, as one of the most essential elements in the material progress of Great Britain, have led to the publication of this "Handbook." The author has dwelt at considerable length upon the losses entailed through what has been well called "the prodigality of ignorance," but she has been led to do so from a deep conviction, that the material loss is but a small part of that incurred, by neglect of scientific truths. Thus |