j8 Boston Society of Natural History 



nor creed in its relation to new information. An important publi- 

 cation, a new line of research, a brilliant hypothesis, should appeal 

 to us, not because it is American, German, French, or English, nor 

 because it is on the winning side in the questions of the day. It is, 

 of course, natural that a country comparatively young in scientific 

 culture should turn to older institutions for its standards, should 

 be constantly tempted to compare its own learned societies and 

 their doings with those of more ancient date and established influ- 

 ence. But, while measuring our progress by theirs with honorable 

 emulation, let us not make the mistake of also measuring our sci- 

 entific men by a reflected light only, making our own recognition 

 of them wait upon that from the other side of the water. Every 

 nation should be proud of its great men, and may be excused for 

 overrating them, but it should also add to an excusable national 

 vanity, an independence capable of recognizing, appreciating, and 

 sympathizing with the men who are raising the intellectual stand- 

 ard of their country to that of the older ones. The pioneers of 

 Science in this country were neither remote imitators nor simply 

 commentators ; they have not only laid the foundations of Natural 

 Science in this country, but they have extended its boundaries on 

 many fields. Nor should we assume that they had need of a kind 

 word of recognition from the other institutions or individuals. Let 

 me not, however, be understood, for a moment, as disparaging the 

 intelligent criticism of Press or colleagues at home or abroad. I only 

 wish to distinguish between that and the notoriety so easily gained 

 by constant appeals to the public either in person or through sci- 

 entific quacks. 



Since, however, the true investigator rarely has either the time 

 or the disposition to become the expounder of his own work, it is 

 not always possible for the public to draw the line between those 



