Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: WELCOME To The American Association For The Advancement Of Science, At The Institute Of Technology, August 25,1880. In behalf of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, I am happy to extend cordial welcome to the American Association for the Advancement of Science. It was organized thirty-three years ago, in this her capital city, and it holds the charter of its corporate life under the act of her legislature. It has enrolled upon its membership the names of sons of hers who, by their contributions to the store of useful knowledge, have paid her the best return for the education she gave them. Among its presidents it reckons names precious in her estimation and memory, — the names of Agassiz, Peirce, Gould, and Gray. Massachusetts regards the true advancement of science with no jealous or distrustful eye, but rather as a synonym for the greater happiness of the people, the better mastery of nature, the foundation of a surer faith in God the Creator, the nearer equality of a democratic state. She rejoices in its achievements, not only when she welcomes from all the states of the Union such an illustrious gathering of scientific men as are here to-day in its interest; but also when she hears the ring of its hammer, the click of its chisel in the hands of her own artisans and mechanics, who in the varied useful and homely industries of civilization, in her machine-shops, at the wheels of her railroad cars, in her manufactories, are dignifying and elevating the lot of labor and the craft of handiwork, andat the same time contributing to the enlargement of the comforts, the opportunities, the usefulness of human life, and the common weal of her citizens. For science has no favorites in the beneficence of its results. It discloses no secret that is not echoed around the globe. If it el...