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1898-99. ] FIFTIETH YEAR OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 643 
not continue to do so, while the first volume published by the Natural 
History Society of Montreal appeared in 1857. 
Must we not wonder .at the little band who thought there was a 
prospect for science in Upper Canada? Like our first Governor Simcoe; 
who was quixotic enough to plan colleges and even universities while he 
followed the Indian trails in our unbroken forests, these founders of our 
Institute, three of whom are with us to-night, were also quixotic enough 
to believe in a future to our civilization which might support the claims 
of science. But indeed the British Empire was created and is being 
enlarged by the dreamers—by the Quixotes who in the day of small 
things see so much farther into the future than the pessimists who smile 
at their enthusiasm. 
Sir Sandford Fleming will perhaps tell us of our day of small things 
and how nearly the spark went out, but to-day we are able to point to 
a continuous series of publications for fifty years and this, in Canada, is 
no small boast. From time to time the character of our publications 
has waxed and waned, but when, in a few weeks, the Memorial Volume, 
which marks our fiftieth year, reaches the world of science, I think we 
shall be able to claim that it would not only reflect credit on any scien- 
tific society, but that it surpasses, in original investigation, any scientific 
journal ever published in Canada. 
g, as the result of ex- 
changing our publications with those of other learned societies, a large 
library of a character quite unique in Ontario, and destined to be inval- 
uable in the future as a public educator. When we have regular post- 
graduate courses in our Universities, when original research is exten- 
During these years we have been gatherin 
sively carried on in Canada, when our Province establishes a natural 
history and geological survey, the true value of our library will be rea- 
lized. In the meantime those who are caring for it are carrying on a 
species of public trust, the importance of which I think they recognize. 
But for all this we need money. There have always been men wil- 
ling to give their time and zeal to such work, but their task would be 
enormously lighter if the roll of membership did not reflect so much 
indifference on the part of the general public. The existence of the 
Institute has been possible largely because of the generous help of the 
Ontario Government, and I take this opportunity of thanking the Pre- 
mier and the Minister of Education for their practical sympathy, but is 
it not time for our intelligent citizens to show their appreciation by be- 
coming members? I must not take too much advantage of the oppor- 
