ABSTRACT OF PROCEEDINGS. 85- 



"may, therefore, be suggested that for the sake merely of 



"more accurate definition, and without broadening what 



"lias been the scope of the Society, Rule 1 should read : — 



"The objects of the Society are the prosecution of the 



"study of natural science, social science, and history. 



"."). The question arises, however, whether it would not 

 "be \vi.se to broaden the scope of the Society. 



"Tasmania is a small country, and the lesson of many 

 "larger communities is that multiplicity of learned socie- 

 "ties, except in large and wealthy countries, is to be 

 "avoided. As Tasmania grows, and persons having special- 

 "ised interests become more numerous, it will be to the 

 "advantage of all that they should oi-ganise themselves as 

 "sections of an existing body rather than as independent 

 "societies. The history of the Royal Society, the age of 

 "its publication, its recognition by the Governments of 

 "Tasmania and of foreign countries, its correspondence 

 "with learned academies in many countries, the extent 

 "and varied contents of its library, enforce the suggestion 

 "that it should be ready to enroll and asiiist workers in any 

 "branch of knowledge. 



"6. Many countries throughout the world have 'Aca^- 

 " 'demies,' which embrace the whole of knowledge in their 

 "objects — the Institut de France, the Reale Accademia 

 "delle Scienze dell' Instituto di Bologna, the Connecticut 

 "Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Roval Society of 

 "Canada, the New Zealand Institute, to name onlv a few. 

 "These institutions present the advantage that workers in 

 "all branches of knowledge are united in one body; while 

 "the needs of specialisation are met by the forination of 

 "sections, and (if the amount of work so warrants) by the 

 "publication of several series of proceedings. It is still 

 'possible for the Society to follow thair example without 

 "irdcrfering with other societies, for as vet it is the only 

 "leaa-ned Society in Tasmania. 



"7. A redefinition of the objects of the Society, which 

 "would include all branches of knowledge, is unlikelv for 

 "the present to produce much alteration in the character 

 "of its meetings or its proceedings. The Council would 

 "retain its present control of the paj^ers read to the 

 "Society, and papers, for instance, on speculative or- 

 "imaginative subjects, such as philosophy or literature, 

 "need not be actively encouraged unless it is evident that a 

 "large number of members desire them. If a suflicient 

 "number of members did wish to hear such papers, and 



