of the Worcestershire Natural History Society. 407 



the points the most interesting and the most instructive to 

 those who have pleasure in contributing to extend, or in wit- 

 nessing the extension of, the adoption of the science of natural 

 history. 



" It had been his pleasing duty last year to trace the origin 

 of the Worcestershire Natural History Society, and in so 

 doing he hoped he had with even-handed justice stated the 

 merits of all parties concerned. He had observed that they 

 were indebted, for the commencement of the vessel that was 

 to carry them upon the ocean of science, to the active efforts 

 of his unassuming friend, Mr. John Evans, their worthy and 

 indefatigable honorary secretary. He had pointed out the 

 obligations they were under to Dr. Hastings, without whose 

 tact and judgment as a pilot, they would have been unable to 

 steer clear of the shoals and quicksands that lay round the 

 entrance of the harbour, and he had adverted to the aid they 

 had derived from an able paper that simultaneously appeared 

 at that time from the pen of Dr. Conolly [see in our VI. 

 428 — 430. a review of Dr. Conolly's Essay], who might thus 

 be called, from the extensive survey he had taken, their har- 

 bour-master. They all knew, from the transactions of that 

 day, that they could not have had a more skilful commander 

 of the fleet than the Noble Lord Lyttelton, who had presided 

 over their proceedings this day. It was known to all of them 

 that, with the aid of able lieutenants, they had put to sea, and 

 again safely returned into port after a prosperous voyage. 



" He had been often asked the cause of the great and ac- 

 knowledged success of this Society, which had rung through- 

 out the empire ; while other similar provincial societies had 

 only crept along timorously, like the snail, or like the wood- 

 pecker, taken uncertain flits at lengthened intervals, from tree 

 to tree, without daring a continuous flight upon the wing. He 

 would not say that gentlemen of talent and energy had not 

 been among them ; he would not say that they had not had 

 professional skill, and that business-like and continuous exer- 

 tion, which was only to be found among practical men of the 

 world ; he would not say that they had not had the patronage 

 of the great and the good ; they had been thus favoured. 

 Still, he considered that it was to the constitution of the So- 

 ciety, and its liberally administered code of laws, that they 

 principally owed their success. Here was the grand founda- 

 tion stone of their prosperity. From the beginning they had 

 never assumed an austere exclusive appearance; they had 

 never been limited to any grade of society. It had been, it 

 was open to all who had talent, integrity, and a love for the 

 pursuit of Natural History, whatever was their external station. 



