EDITOR'S TABLE. 



843 



have learned to venerate, and by fos- 

 tering that feeling of respect for other 

 branches of science, that knowledge of 

 and interest in their progress, which 

 chiefly mark the liberality of scientific 

 study. 



" 2. The Association provides funds 

 which, though small in amount, are 

 great in worth, from the mode of their 

 distribution ; and serve in a limited de- 

 gree as an encouragement, though not 

 an endowment, of research. 



" The third most important aim of 

 our Association is, 'to obtain a more 

 general attention to the objects and 

 methods of science, and the removal 

 of any disadvantages of a public kind 

 which impede its progress.' It is for 

 this reason that the Association travels 

 from one to another of the great cen- 

 ters of population and intellectual ac- 

 tivity of the kingdom, local scientific 

 societies and local museums are gen- 

 erated and regenerated in its path, local 

 industries are for a time raised to a 

 higher level than that of money-get- 

 ting, and every artisan may learn how 

 his own craft depends upon knowledge 

 of the facts of nature, and how he 

 forms part of the great system of ap- 

 plied science which is subduing the 

 earth and all its powers to the use of 

 man. We wish to make science popu- 

 lar, not by deceiving idlers into the be- 

 lief that any thorough knowledge can 

 be easy, but by exciting interest in its 

 objects, and appreciation of its meth- 

 ods. In the popular evening lectures 

 you will hear those who are best quali- 

 fied to speak upon their several sub- 

 jects, not preaching with the dry au- 

 sterity of a pedant, but bringing their 

 own enthusiasm to kindle a contagious 

 fire in those who hear them." 



Of course the prime object of these 

 bodies is the promotion of science by 

 means of original investigation and the 

 development of new views; but it is 

 not for a moment to be overlooked that 

 these objects can only be efficiently se- 

 cured by appropriate means. Experi- 



mental investigations and systematic 

 observations on the varied phenomena 

 that solicit inquiry are only to be made 

 by outlays of time, labor, and money. 

 The scattered students of original sci- 

 ence work generally alone, and with. 

 such facilities as they may be able to 

 command ; but it is one legitimate ob- 

 ject of combination to enlarge the op- 

 portunities of research, and give help 

 and encouragement to isolated inqui- 

 rers. Occasions, moreover, are con- 

 stantly arising in which investigations 

 become so comprehensive and method- 

 ical that they can not be carried on by 

 individual resources, and outside aid is 

 indispensable. It has been an impor- 

 tant part of the policy of the British 

 Association to furnish means for carry- 

 ing on various investigations of this 

 kind, the results of which are reported 

 at its annual sessions; and, from the 

 outset, one of. its objects has been to 

 raise money for such purposes. Funds 

 thus appropriated, as Dr. Pye-Smith 

 remarked, serve as an encouragement 

 to research without becoming a formal 

 endowment. The Association marks 

 out or approves a course of inquiry, 

 and then gives substantial assistance 

 in carrying it on to parties especially 

 qualified for the work; and thus the 

 utmost equivalent for the money ex- 

 pended is certain to be secured. This 

 admirable feature of the British Asso- 

 ciation ought to be initiated and devel- 

 oped by our own society, and to this 

 end we venture to think there should 

 be more systematic effort to secure 

 voluntary contributions. The Ameri- 

 can Association has not abounded in 

 worldly wisdom to anything like the 

 degree that its nationality would jus- 

 tify. Absorption in pure scientific 

 work seems to have been unfavorable 

 to the practical business element. This 

 has limited the usefulness and efficiency 

 of the organization, for money is as 

 much the sinew of science as of war. 

 It is to be hoped that in future increas- 

 ing attention will be given to this sub- 



