Two hundred gentlemen, principally from Glasgow and the vicinity favourable
to the establishment of an Astronomical Institution in Glasgow, dined together on the 16th; Mr. Kirkman Finlay in the chair. Some very interesting and able speeches were delivered in the course of the evening. The Chairman said, in reference to the nego- tiations with Glasgow University, that they were now almost sure to be successfully terminated, and that their prospects were generally _good— The gentlemen who had taken charge of this interesting subject had now found that it was only necessary for them to provide a suitable building for the necessary and desirable instruments connected with the institution. In the 'former attempt that was made in this city to form an Observatory, it would be in the recollection of many gentlemen that their funds were destroyed by an -annual charge, for which there was no return. In the proposed plan there would be no annual charge whatever. All that was necessary was to procure ground and erect a building, and the College would take the charge of doing all the rest—of providing the necessary and proper instruments, and of maintaining them there. Therefore the whole that would be necessary for the gentlemen who subscribed to this undertaking would be, as he had already observed, to provide ground, and erect a suitable building ; so that it would be evident to every gentleman that no pecuniary loss could arise. The ground that would be obtained would, as he expected, the in value; and then, happen what might, even should the removal of the building take place, still the ground would re- main, and fully indemnify every gentleman who might subscribe.
Mr. Nichol, Professor of Astronomy, dwelt upon the great practical benefits arising from a knowledge of the science; which might be called especially the sailors' science- " The stars, when they can be observed, are his best compass ; and, as yore may learn from the distinguished officer near you (Captain Basil Hall), it ir just by the accuracy of the time-piece he cart ies with him, which must have been examined at /ion*, and have had its rate fixed by comparison with the uniform revolution of the celestial spheres, that he guides liimiedf and passes over the great sea with the assurance with which one travels through a di... tance divided and marked out by mile-stones. Even in this regard, then—look- ing to the commercial importance of the Clyde, to its most rapid increase, to the fact that its prospects of increase are almost indefinite, and that you Live schemes in view which, when executed, will raise Glasgow itself to an emi- nence as a port inferior to few in the United Kingdom—it is not to be doubted that, by an act which will secure for your shipping the whole el the advan- tages flowing to the shipping of the Thames from our great National Observa- tory, you will not be liberal without rational cause, or cast your patronage hopelessly upon the waters. I think there is enough in these considerations to justify one in feeling a deep interest in the object for which we have assembled ; 'but I confess that I derive equal gratification from the fact that the effort to at- tain it originated in a spontaneous movement on the part of your community. The time is unquestionably approaching when the people in general will show a keener interest in the advancement of the higher sciences, for they are rapidly ascertaining the important bearings upon their welfare, of the truths which these sciences work omit; and when that time does conie—a time you are now heralding—we shall have arrived at an epoch of civilization, which, in the history of science, will necessarily be illustrious. Hitherto our institutions— all too narrow for ever growing necessities—have depended for increase of means upon the irregular patronage of Governments; and the erection of such establishments as we contemplate, has only come either through that patronage, which, in societies like ours, cannot perhaps be other than infiequent, or through the signal, but equally infrequent efforts of individnah,.whoae wealth and inclinations induced them to acts of costly munificence."
Principal Macfarlane, said that the University was willing to aid in the scheme proposed.
Bailie Fleming had no doubt that the Magistrates would subscribe individually ; though, in these days of retrenchment, they would not venture to vote the public money for the aid of the new institution. The healths of the Members of Parliament for Glasgow were given. Lord Advocate Murray eulogized Lord William Bentinck ; and Mr. Oswald spoke modestly for himself. Mr. Nichol' read a letter from Sir David Brewster, apologizing for his absence from the meeting, and suggesting the kind of Observatory and telescopes he thought it would be desirable to build and procure. Mr. Sheriff Alison expatiated on the use of science as developed fit the history of ancients and moderns. Mr. Weir enforced the tie. cessity of making scientific knowledge popular. What was the cause, be asked, why the glory of Syria, Greece, and Italy, had passed away ?— In all these nations, the blessed gift of knowledge had been the exclusive por- tion of a few. The refined, the ingenious, the imaginative, the deep- thoughted, whose works had survived, were a select and purified band among masses scarce raised above the savage state. They were rare exotics, too few to guarantee their reproduction in successive generations. This led us at once to the means of perpetuating science : make her priesthood so numerous that there were no fears of their becoming extinct. Knowledge was ajealous goddess ; she regarded coldly the heartless, pompous ceremonial, which placed her as a thing of show in cold and lonely temples—she sought to be worshipped at the domestic hearth, to be kept in mind a • I the avocations of daily lik. The capacity of know- ledge was spread through all ranks: apply the torch, and the individuals con- etituted for that purpose would at once catch the blaze. The class which in a Burns had shown itself capable of the high imaginative sentiment of chivalry, had in a Leslie shown itself not less apt for science. It was the interest of a nation to extend education to every class. Their Chairman had dwelt with generous pride on the greeter mildness of the penal code when compared with. that of their ancestors : would they know the only efficient " cheap police" of nations ? It was to educate the people. The man of education bad more to lose than the uneducated, and was not so apt to forfeit it for a momentary gra- tification. The man of education was more alive to the virtuous pleasures of domestic life, and was less exposed to temptation. The man of education had a consciousness of his own worth—feeling that he had a character to lose, he shrunk from what would degrade it. All—the rich, who sought security in their possessions—the learned and the tasteful, who sought quiet for their fa.. vourite pursuits—bad an interest in educating the people; for only amid am intelligent and self-respecting population were peace and security to be found. Not merely the orderly habits of a people—the energy which these habits were intended to control and direct to good, was rendered more intense by the dif- fusion of knowledge. The mind of Britain was even more sinewy than her human thews. Mechanical discovery, combined with mercantile enterprise, had within a few years, tripled the productive powers of the land. Our wares filled all accessible markets; and yet the nation was standing like a gleyhound in the leash, panting, glaring for new fields into which to spring for the display of its redundant energies. The education of many had done this—the educa- tion of all would do more. Our powerful engines would increase in power, itt proportion as those who worked them were raised in intelligence. These sen- timents were familiar to the men of Glasgow, and cherished by them. In Glasgow the Andersonian Institution still flout ished—the first attempt to com- bine scientific training with the discharge of mechanical duties. 'The popular institutions ,f Glasgow were, in number and energy, second to none in the em- pire. Ile called upon the company to pledge them, and to wish them success. Captain Hall hoped that the Glasgow Observatory would be prac- tically useful—not open merely to theorists and scientific men. One of the principal objects of raising an Observatory was in reference to the taste that it would beget, not merely in the anarinere, but in the men wha had to select those mariners in the market—to elevate the taste for knowledge among them, and to elevate the standard of intellect in those men who were destined to command our ships; for, although he was a naval captain himself, he must observe that it was in the men they sent to command the ship that its safety must chiefly depend. By giving the means, therefore, of acquiring that taste, they would extend it to many useful purposes; but in so doing, they must not make the Observatory a mere show—it must not be a mere building—. they must render it a useful institution. Socrates was once asked if there was any thing good in the world. The philosopher replied, "What good do yen mean?" "Is it good to cat or drink ?" "No,' was the reply. "Is there such a thing as abstract good ?" His answer was, "I know no good that is good for nothing." They must not make their Observatory any other than a practical thing—fitted for practical men of business—a really working Obser- vatory; and then they would have done that for which they had assembled— not to talk, but to act as men of business.
Several other speeches were delivered, before the company broke up
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