446 STUDY OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



of the chief members who have been taken from its 

 ranks. In this respect the speeches or reports of 

 H. R. H. the President of the Royal Society, are 

 admirable models, and deserve to be imitated by 

 every society. The separate reports might then be 

 collected into one, and printed. By thus committing 

 the different branches of science to those most 

 conversant with them, this collection of reports 

 would assume an importance far greater than any 

 other, the work of one or two individuals only, 

 could possibly enjoy. The range of the physical 

 sciences is now so wide, so many discoveries and 

 revolutions are continually going on in each, and 

 the diversified knowledge necessary to appreciate 

 the true value of these changes so vast, as to render 

 it beyond the power of any mind, however powerful, 

 to grasp the whole. This difficulty, however, would 

 be entirely done away with by the plan now sug- 

 gested. The funds of the society might not allow 

 the institution of prize essays ; but it would be highly 

 to the advantage of science if each section proposed, 

 in committee, some one particular subject for re- 

 search or investigation during the next year ; the 

 best essay or paper upon which might be printed at 

 the expense of the society, and some honorary 

 mark of distinction might be conferred upon its 

 author. In natural history, for instance, no subject 

 could be more appropriate than the confirmation or 

 fallacy of any particular theory upon natural affi- 

 nities ; always taking care to select, as the proposed 

 theme, some subject which will call into application 

 those Baconian principles of philosophy upon w r hicb 

 all true science must repose. 



