170 PROCKEDIN'CS OF SOCI KITES. 



forms and colours of the first; the beautiful and marvellous transformations 

 and pc-ncillings of the second; the fragrance and lovely hues of the last, 

 seems essentially adapted to claim their attention and fostering care. And 

 it has ever been a source of great surprise to me, that out of the large 

 number of collectors, so few ladies should be enlisted in the pursuit. 

 But a new era is, I hope, about to dawn, and that the Fair Maids of 

 Kent, by taking the offer of this society to enrol themselves as members, 

 will show to the world at large, it is not their wish to be excluded from 

 learned societies. 



I will only name another advantage a society like the present offers. 



It keeps a correct registry of Natural History, for reference, of every 

 interesting fact occurring within its district. This is of great value, not 

 only to those belonging to the society, but to others engaged in unravelling 

 the mysteries of the science, who, perhaps, by the acquisition of a fact 

 thus registered, may complete a chain of evidence to the perfect elucida- 

 tion of his theory. 



We will now proceed to inquire into the nature of the society, which 

 we are most anxious should be better understood by all classes. 



The study of Natural History, next to that of religion, is the most 

 ennobling to which the human mind can give its attention; since it not 

 only leads it to a closer insight into the marvellous works and laws of 

 Creation, but insensibly draws it nearer and nearer to that glorious Being, 

 whose infinite wisdom could alone have formed so vast and beautiful an 

 universe, which is yet governed by laws so wonderfully simple. Thus, 

 step by step, as we advance in this study, we are more and more forced 

 to acknowledge the Divine Power, and from the contemplation of his 

 works, to adore their Creator. 



In pursuing this delightful subject, one thing has always most forcibly 

 struck me as a conclusive answer to those who seek to disparage the pro- 

 ceedings of the students in Natural History, that is what it has pleased 

 the Almighty Power to form, cannot degrade the human mind to study; 

 and therefore, we would throw a veil of pity over such hearts, so little 

 elevated by the revelations of creation — so dead to the wondrous harmonies 

 of nature. But the labours of such men as Linnaeus, Buffon, Cuvier, 

 Humboldt, and many others, are now spreading far and wide their fruitful 

 seed, which neither empty satire can injure, nor impertinent ridicule uproot. 



To give a remarkable illustration of the harmonies I speak of. A 

 bone was presented to Professor Owen, (than whom, few countries can 

 boast a brighter star,) and on examining it carefully, he pronounced it to 

 be the leg-bone of a bird; and from deductive reasoning, based upon 

 the simple, articulating surfaces, he erected the skeleton of a bird, such 

 as had never yet been known to science — a wingless bird. And only a 



