I cannot, of course, commence the discharge of the duties of President of this learned and celebrated Society, without expressing my profound gratitude to the members for their unexpected kindness in elevating me to this chair, and my intense appreciation of the distinction they have thereby conferred upon me. It is a position of which any man, however high his reputation or however great his attainments, could not fail to be proud. To me your favour has laid me under the greater obligation, that I am painfully conscious that I am entirely without pretensions to the special qualities which have generally determined your choice.