Scope and Offices of Natural History, 403 



Are not we in our communings, or, perhaps, rather attempts 

 to commune, with the uninitiated in the technicalities of the 

 science of natural history, too prone to express ourselves too 

 much in the manner of the optician in the allegory ? 



The Worcestershire Natural History Society held on May 

 25. 1835, the anniversary of its formation. It was formed 

 on April 8. 1833. " They had chosen to link themselves to 

 the immortal name of Linnaeus, by holding their anniversaries 

 on his birthday." The anniversary " has this year been 

 rendered peculiarly important and interesting, from the cir- 

 cumstance of its having been chosen as the period for laying 

 the first stone of the Worcestershire Museum, now erecting 

 in Foregate Street." 



At a meeting antecedent to the laying of the stone, the 

 report of the council for the past year was read, and the names 

 of the gentlemen who had been appointed as the officers and 

 council for the ensuing year were announced. Lord Lyttel- 

 ton, Lord Lieutenant of Worcestershire, patron of the Society, 

 was chairman. Speeches were made. Their predominating 

 sentiment was eulogy, and this was applied to the science of 

 natural history ; to the Worcestershire Natural History So- 

 ciety, and to the nobility, gentry, public, and, neither last nor 

 least, and properly so, to the several enterprising officers and 

 leading members : from the contributions and exertions of all 

 these parties has arisen the present most prosperous state of 

 the Society. 



Mr. Lees (Edwin Lees, Esq.) in acknowledging, " on be- 

 half of his worthy colleagues and himself, .... the thanks 

 of the meeting to the honorary secretary, Mr. Evans ; and to 

 the honorary curators, Mr. Lees and Mr. Walter," intro- 

 duced this 



Sketch of the Scope, Offices, and Excellencies of Natural 

 History. " If there was any study that exalted the powers 

 of the human mind and led them on to reflection and investi- 

 gation; if there was any pursuit that, innocent in itself, tended 

 to purify the mind and renovate the heart ; if there did exist 

 any charm by which they could obtain " divine oblivion of 

 low-thoughted care," and look up from the wonders exhibited 

 by intelligent design to some idea of an eternal and omnipo- 

 tent Power ; if there was any study that gave present pleasure, 

 and was productive of retrospective and future enjoyment; 

 that study was natural history. In its most extensive sense, 

 natural history embraced all the objects, animate and inani- 

 mate, that presented themselves to our daily notice and obser- 

 vation. In this its widest latitude, astronomy itself, and all 



