230 Proceedings of Philosophical Societies. [March, 



*' the world is at length convinced that observations are the only 

 sure grounds, whereon to build a lasting and substantial philo- 

 sophy. All partyes are so far agreed upon this matter, that it 

 •eems to be now the common sense of mankind.* " For this 

 reason, when he composed his work, as he himself states, *' He 

 gave himself up to be guided wholly by matter of fact, intending" 

 to steer that course, which is agreed, of all hands, to be the best 

 and surest ; and not to offer any thing but what hath due warrant 

 from observations.t Unfortunately, for the fame of this distin- 



fuished naturalist, and for the University to which he bequeathed 

 is valuable collection, the want of a Society aflfbrding the 

 means of philosophical communication, caused his immense 

 treasure of facts to remain hoarded in a place by no means wor- 

 thy of the collection, or convenient for its arrangement. Hence 

 the hardly credible truths which are now beginning to come to 

 light respecting the Woodwardian collection ; hence the extraor- 

 dinary circumstance, first made known by the late Professor, the 

 Rev. J. Hailstone, that the corundum stone (a substance of such 

 singular utility in the arts, and whose supposed discovery, as 

 distinguished from other minerals, was attributed to Dr. Black, 

 of Edniburgh), was not only known to Woodward, but specimens 

 of it exii-ted unnoticed in his cabinet many years before Dr. 

 Anderson, of Madras, sent to Europe the examples upon which 

 Dr. Black founded his observations. The same may be said 

 with regard to other bodies, and especially that remarkable sub- 

 stance called the native meteoric iron of Pallas, also in the 

 Woodwardian collection.J To obviate even the possibility of 

 such occurrences in future, to lay open channels of communica- 

 tion for facts connected with the advancement of philosophy, and 

 also to bring together men who are engaged in common pursuits 

 of science, is the main object of the Cambridge Philosophical 

 Society. The zeal and promptness which have been manifested 

 in its establishment, and a vitvv of the names which have been 

 already added to the list of its members, excite a reasonable 

 hope that, by means of it, a fund of valuable information maybe 

 gradually accumulated. Some idea may be formed of the use- 

 fulness of such an Institution, simply by referring to the various 

 periodical Journals, edited, either by individuals, or by societies, 

 m different districts of this kingdom ; in which the philosophical 



* Nat. Hist of the Earth, p. 1 Lond. 1723. 



t Ibid. '• The observations I speak of," observes the same Author, p. 3, " were 

 all made in En^land^ the far greatest part whereof I travelled over on purpose to make 

 them ; professedly searching //// placcx as I passed along, and taking a careful and exact 

 riew of Things on all hands as they presented ; in order to inform myself of the present 

 rondition of the earth, and all Bodyes contained in it, as far as either Grottos^ or other 

 Natural Caverns^ or Alines^ Quarries^ Colepits, and the like, let me into it, aiid dis- 

 played to sight the interior parts of it." 



:J: To prove this remarkable fact, Professor Hailstone purchased a specimen of th« 

 mative meteoric iron of Pallas, and j)laced it in the Woodwardian collection by tlic sid* 

 •f Woodirard's specimen, that their identity might be the more easily recognised. 



