44 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 



If one person had invented a new inflection, it could not be 

 possible that any others would adopt it. 



In answer to a question from Mr. Harvey on the connection 

 of a language rich in inflections with a highly advanced state 

 of civilization, Mr. Hale said that he had explained his views 

 in a paper on the subject. The attainment of a highly 

 inflected language does not depend on the degree of civiliza- 

 tion. It had a good deal more to do with the character of the 

 people than with their attainments in civilization. 



TWENTY-FIFTH MEETING. 



Twenty-fifth Meeting, 28th April, 1888, the President in 

 the chair. 



Donations and exchanges since last meeting, 43. 



A letter was read from Dr. Selwyn, Director of the Geo- 

 logical Survey of Canada, relative to a statement reported on 

 page 191 of the last volume of the Proceedings as attributed to 

 him by Mr. W. H. Merritt, which statement he declared to be 

 absolutely and wholly untrue ; also a letter from Mr. Merritt, 

 denying the correctness of the report of his remarks. 



Nominations for Officers for the ensuing year were then 

 made. 



Captain Stupart, R.N., read a paper on " Whence did the 

 Scandinavians obtain their Knowledge of the Compass ? " 



This question cannot be limited to the marine compass, for the 

 '•' magnetic car " appears to have been invented about the same time. 

 The first mention of the magnet in China was in A.D. 121. On 

 Chinese vessels the use of the compass was first made in A.D. 419, 

 and the ■' magnetic car " in the Island of Japan in the seventh cen- 



