304< STUDY OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



press upon the reader, and of which he must be 

 now convinced, are these: — 1. That the majority 

 of our societies for the promotion of science are 

 mainly, if not exclusively, formed for the wealthy ; 

 — that they are, essentially, aristocratic : 2. That, 

 at this time, there is no mode of distinguishing, 

 from their lists, such as are nominal from such as 

 are really working members : and, 3. That the ho- 

 nour which once accompanied the admission into 

 such societies has much deteriorated. Such are the 

 nature and constitution of our London scientific 

 bodies. We shall subsequently enquire how these 

 defects can be remedied. 



(211.) The most important object of these asso- 

 ciations is the publication of essays or papers con- 

 tributed by the members, and read at their meetings. 

 These, in general, are collected into an annual vo- 

 lume, which is generally distributed to the members, 

 and sold to the public. By this plan, the most 

 effectual means are employed for disseminating 

 knowledge at no extraordinary expense to the au- 

 thor. For it unfortunately is too true, that were he 

 disposed to give his investigations to the world " at 

 his own cost and charges," so little do ' the public 

 estimate any work of pure science, that certain pe- 

 cuniary loss to himself would be the result. It 

 would be inconvenient and improper, on many ac- 

 counts, for a society to publish every paper so 

 communicated. It is, therefore, the business of the 

 council to select the best of such as have been read ; 

 and if this is done faithfully and impartially, no 

 better plan can possibly be pursued. But the im- 

 perfections of human nature will break out. It not 



