THE 



POPULAR SCIENCE 



MONTHLY. 



JUNE, 1902. 



OX THE DEFINITION OF SOME MODEEN SCIENCES.* 



By Professor W. H. DALL, 



SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 



INTRODUCTION. 



IN the early days of this Society, as some of you may remember, it 

 comprised those workers in science resident in Washington who 

 were most eminent in varied branches of research. While in our 

 Society, as in the firmament, one star differed from another star in 

 glory, yet among those ready to contribute to the program or dis- 

 cussion, we might then count many of those reckoned as authorities in 

 their special lines of work and in many different fields. 



As the body of scientific men in government service, or local educa- 

 tional institutions, increased with the increasing importance of scientific 

 method and the evolution of the sciences themselves, new bodies sprang 

 into existence, aiming to exploit special provinces of the realm of 

 science. To these naturally gravitated the members of the Philo- 

 sophical Society chiefly concerned, and in the numerous flourishing 

 organizations now existing in this city the original members of the 

 parent association recognize its intellectual progeny. 



With the differentiation of the avenues of communicating thought, 

 it naturally came about that the chief papers in certain branches would 

 be read in the society devoted to those specialties, and the programs 

 of the Philosophical Society thus became less varied. But we have 

 rather prided ourselves, and trust to the younger members to carry on 

 tbe tradition, in still holding the doors open, so that any communica- 



* Discussion before the Philosophical Society of Washington, March 15, 

 1902. 



