Author Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1906 edition. Excerpt: ... ROYAL SOCIETY TO THE STATE, AND THE RESPONSIBLE PUBLIC DUTIES WHICH REST PERMAN-ENTLY UPON THE SOCIETY. "The end of our foundation is the knowledge of causes, and secret motions of things; and the enlarging of the bounds of human empire, to the effecting of all things possible."--F. Bacon (New Atlantis). From the Address delivered at the Anniversary Meeting on November 30, 1904. URING the last few years a very large amount, i ncreasing each year, of work outside the reading, discussion, and printing of papers, of a more or less public character, has been thrown upon the Royal Society--so large, indeed, as at present to tax the Society's powers to the utmost. A not inconsiderable part of this work has come from the initiation by the Society itself of new undertakings, but mainly it has consisted of assistance freely given, at their request, to different Departments of the Government on questions which require expert scientific knowledge, and which involves no small amount of labour on the part of the officers and staff, and much free sacrifice of time and energy from Fellows, in most cases living at a distance. There is little doubt that this largely increased amount of public work has arisen in part naturally from the greater scientific activity of the present day, but also, and to a greater extent, from the fuller recognition by the Government and the public of the need for scientific advice and direction in connection with many matters of national concern. It may not be inopportune, therefore, for me to say a few words on the advisory relation in which the Society has come to stand to the Government, and to review very briefly the great work which the Society has done, and is doing, for the nation. Among Academies and learned Societies...