30 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 
longer able to include all the work, and various special societies one 
after the other began to spring into vigorous life. 
The Society of Antiquaries was chartered in 1751. 
The Society of Arts was founded in 1753. 
The Linnean Society was founded in 1788. 
The Geological Society in 1807. 
The Royal Astronomical Society in 1820. 
The Zoological Society in 1826. 
The Royal Geographical Society in 1830. 
The Botannical Society in 1836. 
The Microscopical Society in 1839. 
The Chemical Society in 1841. 
The Philological Society in 1842. 
The Ethnological Society in 1843. 
Besides these and other societies for the advancement of pure 
science, there are the various professional association: the Institu- 
tion of Civil Engineers, the Medical and Law Societies, the Royal 
Institute of British Architects, and the Pharmaceutical Societies. 
This, then, is a brief outline of the development of a few of the 
more important of the Learned Societies of England, which, together 
with hosts of others in other parts of the British Empire, in Europe, 
and in America, have done so much for the Promotion of Natural 
Knowledge. Let us now briefly consider what are or should be the 
aims of such associations, what are their proper functions, and how 
their objects may be best fulfilled. 
I think all will agree that the first and most important function 
of Learned Societies is the publication of the results of investigation. 
It is before all things necessary to the growth of knowledge that 
the discoverer of a new truth should have the opportunity afforded 
him of making his discovery known as widely and as promptly as 
possible. It is most desirable that those engaged in research should 
have the fullest possible means of making themselves acquainted 
with what has been done by others, or, as the phrase goes, with the 
condition of our present knowledge of the subject. One truth leads 
to another ; and each new fact observed, each new law established, 
suggests fresh fields for investigation, and furnishes new weapons to 
the armoury of science. Vixere fortes ante Agamemnona. There 
were philosophers before Newton, but, unless they had sufficient 
private means to publish their own works, or enough influence to 
