It is with no little diffidence that, in giving my first presidential address, I follow in the steps of so many distinguished predecessors—men notable in various walks of life—historians, statesmen, administrators, diplomatists. The Royal Historical Society has had the good fortune to be presided over by such men as George Grote, Lord John Russell, Lord Aberdare, and Sir M. E. Grant Duff. My immediate predecessor in this chair, Dr. Ward, whom we so unwillingly released from his presidency to fill a larger sphere of usefulness as Master of Peterhouse and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, is known to most of us here as the author of an admirable history of the English drama, the biographer of Chaucer and Wotton, the translator of Curtius's ‘History of Greece,’ and a distinguished writer on various epochs of German history. We have all of us admired the combined courtesy, dignity, and learning with which he discharged the duties of President during his too short tenure of the office but probably only Members of the Council are fully aware of the energy and enthusiasm which he threw into the task of directing the efforts of the Society. To him is chiefly due the successful initiation of a movement for the promotion of advanced historical study in this great but ill-provided capital, which has issued in the establishment, I am glad to say, of two lectureships in the higher branches of historical learning. We parted from him, as I have said, most reluctantly, but we feel confident that the qualities which so fully justified our choice here will insure him full success in the position which he now holds—the practical headship of one of our two great and ancient Universities.