iat Quebec and Montreal there have been long in existence two Natural 

 History Societies, and at Toronto, the Canadian Institute, established 

 partly for the same purpose, is also in a flourishing condition. Again, 

 in several of the' Universities of the Province, chairs of Natural 

 History and Geology have been endowed, and which are now filled 

 by some of the ablest scientific men of the age. One thing more, 

 however, is required, and that is a periodical literature, devoted ex- 

 clusively to the study of Natural History, circulating everywhere 

 throughout the country, and published at a price within the means of 

 the greater proportion of readers. It is not necessary in this age ol the 

 world, to urge that these sciences are useful. All knowledge is good, 

 and all will admit that the lessons we receive from the contemplation 

 of nature and her wondrous laws, whether as exhibited in the growth 

 of a plant, the instinct of a beast in pursuit of its prey, the gentle aflec- 

 tion of a bird for its young, or the more grand operation of the revolution 

 of a world, are those the most instructive and the most illustrative of the 

 wisdom, power and gx)odness ot Providence. All science is founded 

 upon the understanding of those lavrs. All the power that man has 

 acquired over the material world has been derived from the observa- 

 tion of their modes of operation. The more men observe, the more 

 they must learn, and it is undoubtedly the opinion of all the best 

 educationists, that no intellectual pursuit is better adapted to strengthen 

 the observing powers than that of Natural History. The habit of 

 noticing objects, of comparing them with each other, ascertaining their 

 relations and usefulness, is one that should be cultivated to ihe utmost 

 in the young, as it is upon this mental acquisition that the future 

 success in life of the individual must, in a great measure, depend ; 

 and as the two sciences to which the magazine proposed to be estab- 

 lished will be devoted, consist altogether of such exercises, it will, no 

 doubt, be useful to the youth of the Province. Every young man 

 should know something about the Geology and Natural History of his 

 native country. He should endeavour, in his leisure moments, to 

 make this a large share of his general stock of knowledge, and he 

 will find that in afterlife thousands of occasions will arise, when he 

 will not regret that he acquired such information. The resources of 

 a young country cannot be speedily developed without the intelligent 

 application of the principles of these branches, and w^e think it a wise 

 resolution of the Legislature to encourage, by liberal grants, the differ- 

 ent institutions devoted to these subjects. There are certain great 

 problems connected with the law^s of animal life, the investigation of 

 Avhich is of the* very highest national importance. The dreadful 

 ravages of certain species of insects upon the vegetable food of man 

 have frequently plunged nations into the horrors of famine. ' Plow to 

 guard against such visitations cannot be known until we shall have 

 attained to a more profound knowledge of Natural History than that 

 possessed by ihc mn<i learned men uf the vrorld. So little progress 



