Notices and Proceedings of Scientific Societies. ?5 



be delivered to the Applicant, stating his qualifications : and it shall be the ob- 

 ject of the Institution, by means of recommendation and otherwise, to procure 

 the applicant every facility for prosecuting such studies as may be necessary to 

 develope and perfect his particular talent. And, as the mere gift of money may 

 lead to abuse, and prove an incitement to mercenary views, it is appointed that no 

 money, from the funds of the Institution, shall be given to the Applicant : but 

 if any be voted, it shall be applied under the controul of the Council, for such pur- 

 poses as shall be deemed most proper for the improvement of the Applicant, viz. : 

 the Fees of College, of Teachers, purchase of Books, Instruments, &c. It shall, 

 however, be the object of the Members to procure such Donations amongst them- 

 selves and their friends, as may be requisite for the other wants of the Applicant ; 

 who, on obtaining the Certificate already mentioned, shall have free access, at all 

 convenient hours, to the Museum and Library, and to the General Meetings of 

 the Institution ; and his name shall be enrolled in a Book, to be kept for that 

 special purpose." 



The " Report," with a copy of which we have been favoured, is concisely 

 and elegantly drawn up, and enumerates Literature, Local Antiquities, Geology, 

 Natural History, Meteorological Notices, Astronomy, &c. among the subjects 

 which have already been discussed at the monthly meetings. 



The Society is forming a museum, which, were we to augur any thing from the 

 rank, talent, and assiduity of the members, and the genius and extensive knowledge 

 of the curator, Mr. Christie,J(the discoverer of the singular ichthyolites at Gamery,) 

 will soon be worthy of the town, and add another to the many interesting objects 

 with which it already gratifies the stranger. 



The Scientific Societies have not yet fairly commenced their winter session. 

 In Edinburgh they have not recovered from the drowsiness consequent on the 

 convivial meetings which usually precede their labours. 



LONDON. 



Geographical Society of London 8th November 1830 — The Society met for 



the first time, the Right Honourable Viscount Goderich, the President, in the 

 Chair, and his Lordship delivered a short introductory address. It stated that 

 he felt it unnecessary to explain what the objects of this Society were, for that 

 was already most ably and distinctly done in its Prospectus ; but he would ob- 

 serve that these objects were at once useful and noble. They were useful, inas- 

 much as every class of society would benefit by that enlarged knowledge of the 

 manners of our own and other countries at which the Society aims ; — and they 

 were noble, inasmuch as the pursuits they patronised were calculated to arouse and 

 exercise some of the noblest faculties of the mind — the love of enterprize — the 

 readiness which meets and overcomes diflTculty and danger — the powers of ob- 

 servation which make opportunities as they occur valuable ; and though last not 

 least, the attachment to strict veracity in narrative, without which all other ad- 

 vantages are worse than useless, but for which he was proud and happy to say, 

 English travellers are, for the most part, pre-eminently distinguished. The So- 

 ciety then met, conscious of the worth of its pursuits, but besides, these pursuits 

 had already received and were still receiving the sanction of all that was most' 

 distinguished for rank and talent in the country ; and this, too, would add to the 

 gratification_his most gracious Majesty King William, had taken it under his 

 especial patronage and protection, had given it the title of a Royal Society, and had 

 bestowed on it a royal donation of Fifty Guineas annually, as a premium for the 

 encouragement of Geographical Science and Discovery ; and the names in the 

 List of Subscribers were a proof of the estimation in which it was elsewhere held. 

 As to himself, he eagerly accepted the distinction which had been offered to him, of 



