46 THE WERNERIAX SOCIETY. 



although unaided by the advantages of wealth, it has 

 has silently pursued its useful career, and has, both 

 directly and indirectly, contributed most essentially to 

 the well-doing of science. Most of the active mem- 

 bers of this society are professional men, whose daily 

 engagements circumscribe the sphere of their scienti- 

 fic utility ; yet, notwithstanding this and other dis- 

 advantages, they have explored a large portion of 

 country — have contributed several valuable papers, 

 ^vhich have been published, besides others of equal 

 importance, which will, in due season, appear at the 

 bar of the public. While the individual members 

 are thus co-operating in their efforts, the society, as 

 a body, has not been negligent of its more imme- 

 diate duties. Six volumes of memoirs, containing 

 several very valuable papers, have been already pub- 

 lished ; and the merits of these volumes are suffi- 

 ciently known to the scientific world ; and as ana- 

 lyses of these volumes have been formerly given 

 elsewhere, it is unnecessary for us to enter into such 

 details. 



The course hitherto adopted by the Wernerian 

 Society has been unquestionably good ; and upon 

 the whole, we are disposed to think that a quiet un- 

 obtrusive career, in which solid foundations, for fu- 

 ture distinction and lasting reputation, ai-e laid, is to 

 be prefeiTed to that rapid course which dazzles for 

 a while, but leaves no fixed and permanent impres- 

 sion. When, indeed, we recall the circumstances 

 under which it w^as first established — when we re- 



