DIGITISED MANUSCRIPTS

( 38 ) business, every profession, and every popular amuse- ment and pastime, has its special mouthpiece in the press; and though many of these are ephemeral publications, they indicate the extent to which the art of printing has been utilised. In conclusion, let me touch on one more topic only. To what extent the inventions of the nine- teenth century have enhanced the comfort and in- dependence of the masses, and especially to what extent the application of steam has been instru- mental in the diffusion of knowledge, I have already sufficiently enlarged upon. I may add that the geographical discoveries of the last three hundred years have conferred equal blessings on the people of this country. The discovery of Aus- tralia by Captain Cook in 1768, and the opening out of immense regions in hitherto unexplored parts of Africa and Canada, have relieved by emigration the over-crowded centres of the old world, and been the means of providing many fresh outlets for the energies of mankind. As we can hardly realise the time when printing had not been invented, so we can hardly realise the time when geographical knowledge was limited to Europe and portions of Asia and Africa; when the earth was supposed to be a flat surface, bounded on all sides by the ocean. I have no doubt that some of you, when smoking your pipes, casually discuss the quality of your ; :