144 PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



The love of Natural History has, within the last few years, taken such 

 rapid strides, that societies are being constantly formed; and the present 

 is only a type of what is being carried out in other counties. 



Formerly, the lovers of Natural History had many difficulties to contend 

 with; their position was isolated, the postal communications imperfect and 

 expensive, and the literature on this subject was very defective. Therefore, 

 comparatively unknown to each other, the labourers in this delightful study 

 pursued their researches under circumstances very different to those which 

 the present extended state of knowledge presents to its votaries. Many 

 kept diaries and notes, but having so little inducement to bring them 

 before the public, doubtless, valuable papers have been lost to science; and 

 many hearts, once ardent in the pursuit of some branch of Natural History, 

 have carried to the grave their glowing enthusiasm, unheard of, and 

 unknown. 



But when a society is formed, it at once becomes the focus of 

 individual enterprise. Members meet, friends join, and the hitherto soli- 

 tary student is thus drawn from the seclusion of his study, to the position 

 which his intellectual merit claims; and his collected knowledge is diffused 

 through its transactions, and received into the scientific world, to be 

 registered according to its deserts. 



Another great advantage is collecting together objects of Natural History, 

 so that, not only can the student have access to the archives, but also to 

 preserved specimens. 



A third, and most useful advantage, is the influence a body of scientific 

 men must have upon their fellow-men. Their equals in education and 

 family position, are gradually, by sympathy, led step by step into the 

 pursuit, and, when once their tastes are indulged, there is little fear their 

 hearts will again be mute to the whispering voice of nature. 



But over our humbler fellow- creatures the influence is much stronger; 

 they are invited to join, and to become associates, free of all expense. 

 The natural feeling of pride, inherent in every bosom, awakens new sym- 

 pathies — new sensations; first from an idle curiosity gazing on the various 

 specimens collected together, his observations soon give a bias to his 

 tastes and feelings, and his mind once enlisted, he seeks out the channel 

 wherein to indulge his new pursuit. But before proceeding further, we 

 must be thoroughly understood in thus strongly expressing the views of 

 the society, that it by no means desires that the taste for Natural History 

 should set on one side those moral duties and obligations which every 

 member of our large community — however humble he may be — owes to 

 society at large; but that it should be a constant source of the highest 

 recreation, and also the means of filling up many a vacant hour, now de- 

 voted by the prosperous classes — may I say it? — to frivolous and puerile 



