ccliv 



As Dr. Draper, in his late address before the Chemical Society, well 

 remarks: — "There are among us some persons who deprecate science 

 merely through illiterate arrogance ; there are some who, incited by super- 

 ficiality, * * * dislike it; there are some who hate because they fear 

 it, and many because they find it in conflict with their interests. * * * 

 Let us not return railing for railing ; but, above all, let us deliver unflinch- 

 ingly to others the truths that Nature has delivered to us." Let us, I may 

 add, as members of the Academy, endeavor to teach that, while man is 

 the interpreter of Nature, science is its right interpretation. Let us, in 

 entering this, the twenty-first year of our Academy's existence — this 

 second centenary of our republic, so darkened by political complications — 

 determine to do all we can for the advancement of science, which is the 

 great power of the age. 



The election of officers then took place, with the following 

 result : 



President — Charles V. Riley. 

 1st Vice-President — George Engelmann. 

 2nd Vice-President — Silas Bent. 

 Corresponding Secretary — Nathaniel Holmes. 

 Recording Secretary — F. E. Nipher. 

 Treastirer — Enno Sander. 

 Librarian — 



Board of Curators — W. B. Potter, G.J. Engelmann, J. R. 

 Gage. 



Geo. W. Letterman presented the Academy with the egg-case 

 of a shark, and some mollusk shells, from Atlantic City. 



The names of Prof. Crunden, Dr. O. C. Bates, and B. I. Van 

 Court, were proposed for associate membership, while those of 

 Gustavus Hilgard, J. Weber, and John Koelle, were proposed 

 for corresponding membership. 



February 5, 1877. 



C. V. Riley, President, in the chair. 



Thirteen members present. 



The President stated that, at a former meeting, the Academy 

 had resolved to make the consideration of securing a proper place 

 for the Academy meetings the special order of business for the 

 present meeting. 



