2 PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



recruits will be equally truth-loving and pure-minded with those for 

 whose loss we grieve ; hut it is reasonable to fear that some few may be 

 led into the ranks in pursuit of the rewards and distinctions of which 

 the service now appears to hold out a promise. It is right to distin- 

 guish between these classes. The former, in seeking to elevate them- 

 selves, will endeavour to carry up with them all their truth-loving 

 brother workers. The latter will essay to be uppermost, by depressing 

 and depreciating all, but particularly those who do best and most truthful 

 service. A modern author has something allied to this feeling when he 

 says : — " The profoundly wise do not declaim against superficial know- 

 ledge in others so much as the profoundly ignorant ; on the contrary, they 

 would rather assist it with their advice than overwhelm it with their 

 contempt, for they know that there was a period when even a Bacon or 

 a Newton was superficial, and that he who has a little knowledge is far 

 more likely to get more than he that has none." Therefore, all you 

 who have knowledge, give of it freely to those who ask, and you who 

 have not knowledge, be not afraid to seek it where it may be found. No 

 one ever left our late friend Yarrell, feeling shame that he had asked 

 him a foolish question, but, on the contrary, feeling pleasure that he 

 had been kindly set right. 



It is a matter for congratulation that during the past year the As- 

 sociation had no want of interesting business for each evening meeting. 

 Knowing that in older societies difficulty is often felt to provide the 

 necessary intellectual entertainment, we must take the fact I have stated 

 as an evidence that such an Association as ours is not superfluous. 

 Having now, with the kind approval of the Provost and Board (whose 

 patronage we have always enjoyed), united botany to our former pur- 

 suit of the kindred science, zoology, I cannot but look forward to a great 

 increase of interest in our meetings. We shall have our learned and 

 most excellent Yice-President to give us the aid of his great knowledge ; 

 we shall hope occasionally for some of the fruits of his adventurous 

 travels ; and we shall have displays of living exotics, of the rarest cha- 

 racter, through the kindness of Mr. Bain, the Director of the University 

 Gardens. While I look forward to a large increase of zoological contri- 

 butions consequent on the increase of our Association, for myself I hope 

 to bring before you, as they may be developed, the zoological collections 

 made by Professor Harvey, when, no doubt, he will add interest to 

 them, by details of how they were procured. 



To-night Professor Harvey favours us with some remarks on the 

 inhabitants of the Fejee Islands, whose arms, &c, you see hung around 

 the room. Collections of this kind have been sneered at, but very 

 improperly, as a right knowledge of them is of great importance in that 

 very difficult and very high study, ethnology, a study in which the 

 utmost penetration of the zoologist should join with the most profound 

 knowledge of the philologist, as races of men are not less distinguished 

 by their physical form and language than by their arms and ornaments : 

 these things come to have a scientific use. 



[Here follows a recapitulation of the principal original communica- 

 tions to the Association during the past Session (with other matter of 



