100 PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



the objects of the Society. Mr. Lankester observed that were he 

 asked which would be most beneficial to Campsall, the discovery of a 

 gold-mine in its neighbourhood, or the establishment of this Society, 

 he should, without hesitation, declare in favour of the latter. He 

 continued, " You have established a society for the acquisition of 

 knowledge, not in this city, irot in this toivn, but in this village, and, 

 so far as I am aware, it is the first society of the kind that has sprung 

 up in so small and secluded a spot." The rules having been propos- 

 ed, seconded, and passed, the names of the honorary members and 

 committee were read. A vote of thanks was proposed to Charles 

 Thorold Wood, Esq., of Campsall Hall, the founder of the Society, 

 which was warmly responded to, and the meeting adjourned. 



June 29th. — The third meeting took place, Mr. Abson, tailor, 

 Campsall, in the chair. Willoughby Wood, Esq., delivered a lecture 

 on Knowledge, introducing, incidentally, some very appropriate obser- 

 vations on wages. 



July 5th. — Fourth Meeting, C. T. Wood, Esq., in the chair. — 

 Mr. Lankester delivered an extremely interesting discourse on the 

 Steam-engine, Electricity, Botany, Anatomy, and Chemistry, inter- 

 spersing the lecture with anecdotes and experiments, and illustrating 

 it with diagrams. The lecture appeared to excite considerable inte- 

 rest, and marked attention was paid throughout. At this meeting it 

 was agreed to admit such inhabitants of the neighbouring village of 

 Norton as chose to join the Society as ordinary members ; also to 

 take in the Penny 3Iagazine, Chambers' Edinburgh Journal, and 

 Chambers' Information for the People. To these works will proba- 

 bly be added the Magazine of Domestic Economy. 



July 13th. — Fifth Meeting, C. T. Wood, Esq., in the chair. 

 The chairman recounted the heads of the discourse delivered last 

 week, in order to impress it on the minds of the auditors. Mr. Lan-; 

 kester then delivered a lecture on Botany, illustrated by diagrams and 

 specimens of plants. The vegetable tissues, the parts of plants, and 

 the most familiar modes of classifying them, were explained in a po- 

 pular and interesting manner ; though at the same time — however 

 fascinating Botany and vegetable anatomy may be to those accustomed 

 to study them philosophically — it may well be questioned whether the 

 subject is not somewhat dry and unintelligible to an uncultivated mind. 

 We must " give milk to babes ;" and, despite the able manner in 

 which the learned lecturer acquitted himself, it cannot be denied that 

 the attention of at least a portion of the audience began to flag long 

 before the conclusio'i, a circumstance which cannot be too scrupu- 

 lously guarded against. 



July 20th. — Sia;th Sleeting, C. T. Wood, Esq., in the chair. 

 The chairman commenced the business of the evening by calling upon 

 any of the members to rise and give an account of the lecture deli- 

 vered by Mr. Lankester last week. After a few minutes Mr. Proc- 

 ter, schoolmaster, of Norton, rose, and observed that he had waited 

 in the hope that some one of his boys would have come forwai-d and 



