PROCEEDINGS FOR 1909 LIX 



gested to me the propriety, seeing that last year your Lordship kindly 

 consented to accept the position of our Honorary Vice-President, of 

 laying before you somewhat fuller details respecting the work, resources, 

 and general position of the Society than may perhaps have previously 

 been brought to your notice. 



It may at the outset be acknowledged tliat the amount of public 

 interest taken in the Society in Canada is not altogether what might be 

 expected or desired. The reasons for this I may glance at later. At the 

 same time I feel confident in stating that the society stands high in the 

 opinion of those best able to judge of the utility of its labours, and that 

 a place in its ranks is esteemed an honour by the foremost men in liter- 

 ature and science in the country. 



The Society was founded in the year 1882 by the present Duke of 

 Argyll, when, as Marquis of Lome, he filled the position of Governor- 

 General of Canada. His Excellency called to his aid and counsels a 

 certain number of men of the highest authority in relation to the in- 

 tellectual and educational interests of the Dominion, and with them 

 planned an organization, in which should be united the best features, so 

 far as applicable to Canada, of the Royal Society of England and of the 

 French Academy. From the first the idea of providing for the equal 

 cultivation and development of the two languages and literatures exist- 

 ing side by side in Canada was kept prominently in view. Having re- 

 gard, probably, to the historical priority belonging in Canada to the 

 French language, he and his advisers decided that the first of the four 

 sections of which the Society was to be composed should be assigned to 

 French literature and history and all kindred studies in which that 

 language should be used. "H 



The second section was to be the Section of English literature, 

 history, and scholarship generally; while the Third and Fourth Sections 

 were to represent two great divisions of Science — the former Mathematics, 

 Physics and Chemistry, the latter Geology, Biology and related studies. 



Having arranged a Constitution for the new Society, His Excel- 

 lency, following the best obtainable advice, selected as its first members 

 one hundred — twenty-five for each Section — of the foremost writers and 

 savants of the Dominion. Some criticism naturally followed the selec- 

 tion made : but the verdict of public opinion was that a strong and highly 

 representative membership had been created. 



The Dominion Government of the day entering heartily into the 



• views of His Excellency in this important matter asked Parliament to 



vote $5,000 towards the printing of the Societ3r's Transactions. This 



vote has been continued since as an Annual Grant, and constitutes, 



Eubstantially, the whole revenue of the Society. 



Proc. 1909. 7. 



