LINNJEAN SOCIETY. GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 313 



their pecuniary aid to all the societies in which they 

 feel an interest. Here, also, the naturalist will be 

 gratified by contemplating the entire library, mu- 

 seum, and herbarium of the celebrated man from 

 whom the society takes its name. These collections, 

 as it is well known, were purchased from the widow 

 of Linne by Sir James Smith, during whose long and 

 honourable career they were prodigiously augmented. 

 The professional engagements of Sir James were not 

 sufficiently lucrative to allow of his making a bequest 

 of these treasures to that society he founded, and by 

 which he was so much honoured and beloved. But 

 the associated patriotism and disinterested liberality 

 of the members accomplished that which it was not in 

 the power of a single individual to do. Negotiations 

 were opened with the trustees, and the purchase of 

 the whole was at length effected. If there is any 

 thing to be regretted in the construction of the 

 Linnasan Society, it is the exclusion of oral discus- 

 sions, the introduction of which, at no distant period, 

 we hope will be effected. 



(220.) The Geological Society is unquestion- 

 ably the most active, and the most popular, even 

 among scientific men, of all those which come under 

 our notice. There is a vigour, an efficiency, and 

 a liberality in all its proceedings which has called 

 forth universal admiration ; while the rapidity with 

 which it has risen to its present eminence is the 

 most convincing proof of the talents possessed by 

 its leading members, and of the impartial manner in 

 which its affairs are conducted. Of the objects 

 pursued by this society, the only one which gives it 

 a place in this list relates to the elucidation of fossil 



