396 lAnnean Society. [May 24, 



Mr. Swainson's birds and other specimens has increased these means. 

 The British Birds of the late Mr. Morgan, and the collection of 

 Fishes of Mr. Jenyns, as well as a good cabinet of Insects in the 

 Cambridge Philosophical Society, also afford considerable assistance. 

 I cannot but believe that where there is such a gathering of young 

 men of good education, and we should hope generally of cultivated 

 taste, were there a stated Professorship of Zoology, and inducements 

 in the form of University rewards for proficiency, there would be no 

 want of a class. That the means and inducements are wanting is 

 little creditable to the University, and little honourable to such a 

 country as ours. 



The centre, however, from which, in this unsatisfactory state of 

 official and recognized teaching at Cambridge, a love for Zoology 

 must principally emanate, is probably the Kay Club, which appears 

 to be in a very active working condition, and consists of every class 

 and degree of University men, from Professors and Fellows to 

 Undergraduates . 



Such, Gentlemen, is the statement which I have thought it right 

 to lay before you, of the existing condition and future prospects of 

 the sciences which we cultivate, in the two great Universities of the 

 nation. Would that this frank, but, I trust, respectful appeal might 

 have some influence in promoting a more worthy appreciation of 

 their importance, by those in whom is vested the power of carrying 

 out the suggestions which are thus offered! "Le bon temps viendra;" 

 — how soon, must depend upon higher influences than ours. 



Although I am not generally disposed to anticipate such marvel- 

 lous results from the free opening to the public of the great national 

 collections of art, of antiquities and of science, as it is now the 

 fashion to do. I cannot but view with much satisfaction the greatly 

 increased facilities which are everywhere given to the examination 

 and study of such objects by those who are competent to appreciate 

 tbem. To expect that the mere permission aff'orded to the unedu- 

 cated classes to wander through our galleries of art and our museums 

 of natural history, is to result in imbuing them with a rational ap- 

 preciation of the beauty and interest of what they behold, without 

 the advantage of a previous educational preparation, appears to me 

 merely visionary and Utopian ; and there are no facts hitherto eli- 

 cited which are in any degree calculated to remove this conviction. 

 This however is no reason why we should fail duly and reasonably 

 to appreciate the real advantages which may be anticipated from 

 encouraging and gratifying, as far as possible, the public inclination 



