362 CHAPTER OF CRITICISM. 



mon enough here, in all conscience. This is sufficient proof that we cannot 

 judge, from the abundance or rarity of a species in one locality, of its frequency 

 elsewhere. 



Believe me, my dear Sir, 



Very sincerely and faithfully yours, 

 Neville Wood, Esq., Peter Rylands. 



&c. &c. &c. 



Doncaster Lyceum. 



To the Editor of the Naturalist. 



Sir, — In your publication for last month (No. xi., p. 268), there is an 

 article inserted respecting the Doncaster Lyceum, but in which there are- 

 several inaccuracies, and it is only in justice to the institution that they should 

 be pointed out. 



The writer, after expressing his disappointment that the neighbouring gentry 

 of Doncaster do not give greater support to the institution, states, that he con- 

 ceives that it is to be attributed " to the great attention paid by the Lyceum to 

 politics." He says that " a large number of the members are quarterly," and 

 suspects " that many of them enter the society merely for the purpose of reading 

 the newspapers." He also adds, " that a portion of the funds goes to purchase 

 newspapers." 



The writer, who seems to be well acquainted with the motives both of the 

 neighbouring gentlemen who do not support the institution, and of " many" mem- 

 bers who do, would have done wisely had he also made himself acquainted with 

 the fact that, according to the altered rules of the Society (and which were 

 altered and made public long before the publication of the article in question), 

 there are no longer to • be any quarterly members, and that no portion of the 

 funds subscribed to the Lyceum will be or can be applied for the purchase of 

 newspapers. 



All members are to be annual ; but for the benefit of the young, and of those 

 whose means are limited, there are to be two classes of subscribers : the first to 

 pay 16s. a-year, and the second 7s. The latter class are to have all the 

 privileges of the other, except the right of voting in the management of the 

 institution; and not one farthing of the subscriptions of either class can be 

 appropriated for newspaper purposes, but solely for the benefit of the museum 

 and the literary and scientific departments. 



Politics are neither admissible into these departments of the Institution, nor 

 is it compatible with their designs, and I believe they are never obtruded. 



But, Sir, it is no less true, than, as I think, an advantage to the Institution 

 itself (unless it can be shown that it is well for man to possess all knowledge 



