401 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OP [1880. 



specimens or consult books, because, come when they may, from 

 far or near, they are reasonably sure to find in the building what- 

 ever bclono^s to the museum or library. 



The regulation in question is appi'oved by an experience of more 

 than a quarter of a century. It is supposable that it would have 

 been changed long ago had the menibers of the society believed 

 it to be injurious to their common interests. 



It may be freely granted, however, that there are persons — those 

 who are seldom spontaneously considerate of the convenience and 

 rights of others to the use of property held in common, to Avhom 

 all restrictive rules appear unwise — especially when they are an 

 obstacle to the satisfaction of some transient interest or desire. 

 The same individuals would probably discover a grievance in the 

 loaning system, should they find that those very specimens and 

 books which they desire to refer to at the moment, had just been 

 borrowed and taken out of the building, to be returned at the end 

 of a fortnight or possibly a month. Persons of such temperament, 

 unhappily for themselves as well as their associates, are prone to 

 find that " All goes wrong, and nothing as it ought," where others 

 of more happy constitution discover nothing unpleasant. 



The opportunity of self-instruction in the Academy is good as 

 it now is. It is accessible to those who may desire to make use 

 of it under the rules of the society. They must come spontane- 

 ously. The Academy is not prepared to enlist regulars, hire 

 mercenaries, or solicit volunteers in order to bring into more 

 extensive use the opportunity of self-instruction which it has 

 built up. 



When both the museum and library were easily contained in 

 one small room, the effort of the Academy to increase its means 

 and opportunities of self-instruction was approved. No one com- 

 plained of its deficiencies. All cheerfully endeavored to use profit- 

 ably what it had. The propriety of admitting to its membership 

 those who possessed no other qualifications tlian friendliness to 

 scientific pursuits and personal respectability was not questioned. 

 But since the possessions of the Academy have grown to be ex- 

 tensive and of great value in every sense, there are individuals 

 who lament that they are not greater, and seem pleased to dis- 

 parage its condition, its course and its organization. Ignoring 

 all that is recorded in the sixteen volumes of the first and second 

 series of the Journal of the Academy and in the thirty-two 



