REMARKS ON THE LONDON SOCIETIES. 429 



ing only upon those points which regard the well- 

 being of our respective societies, which are most con- 

 ducive to effect the objects they have in view, and 

 which are sanctioned both by reason and experience. 

 With these feelings, we shall now proceed to offer 

 a few remarks on the chief metropolitan societies 

 and institutions formed for the promotion of natural 

 sciences, and more especially natural history : viz. 

 the Royal Society of Great Britain, the Linnaean 

 Society, the Zoological Society, and the Entomo- 

 logical Society. The Geological Society will be 

 altogether omitted : first, because it more concerns 

 the mineral than the animal kingdom ; and, secondly, 

 because its laws and its management appear to be 

 so admirable, that they may be looked upon as a 

 model for all others. 



(296.) The defects in the management of the 

 Royal Society have already been touched upon ; 

 they have been treated of in more detail by Pro- 

 fessor Babbage, and have been intimated by Sir 

 James South. There is one censure, however, 

 brought against the society by the Quarterly Re- 

 view, which may be here repeated, as it is passed 

 not merely upon the Royal, but upon all the lead- 

 ing societies of London. It is, that " they have 

 not employed their influence, with the government, 

 either in staying its destroying arm, or calling 

 into action its powers of doing good, or in de- 

 manding its bounty for those distinguished men who 

 were especially placed under its patronage." * But 

 this censure, just though it be, attaches more to 



* Quarterly Review, p. 330. 



