■i Introductory Remarks. 



The association is of too recent establishment to claim any 

 credit for its performances. We are about to express 

 only the desire and intention which we hope will be realized 

 in its deeds. Since the preliminary meeting; in April last, 

 when the outline of its purpose as already defined, was con- 

 sidered and decided on, th* progress of the association has 

 been little else than the steps, necessary to develope the 

 method and purpose of its procedure, or preparatory to the 

 commencement of such researches as its object demands. 

 It is in fact experimenting on the means of success now 

 existing — subjecting society as it is, to an analysis which 

 will determine its intellectual energy and practical wisdom, 

 and demonstrate whether or no the period be come, at which 

 the educated and intelligent of the community will combine 

 without hesitation or prejudice, as they have done nobly and 

 zealously elsewhere, and dedicate the unavoidable pauses of 

 active life to the promotion of society's knowledge, com- 

 fort, and power. Our present attempt, is a branch of the 

 same experiment, — offering to such, if they be found, an 

 organ through which they can speak in any way their talent, 

 opportunities, or information may lead, for the awakening 

 or satisfaction of the dormant spirit of enquiry. 



Every one is aware, that the rapid advance which so- 

 ciety now prosecutes in knowledge and power, is less 

 owing to the solitary and surpassing efforts of the very 

 mighty in intellect, than to the numberless and unceasing 

 contributions of the less favoured, and to the steady and 

 wide-spread earnestness with which men are stirred to 

 seek and communicate whatever may benefit men. The 

 times are characterized not by the descent of information 

 upon us, as solitary streams rushing in overflowing gran- 

 deur from their mountain sources, but by a wide flood of 

 knowledge reaching unto and fertilizing society over its 

 minutest divisions. It would be vain to say, that the 

 season of mighty men had gone by, and that another 

 such as Newton would never arise to shed instant and 

 abounding illumination over mysteries heretofore pryed 

 into in vain; but it does seem less likely, that any one 

 should now appear entertaining in himself so wide a share of 

 all human knowledge, and prepared to add so mighty a 

 proportion to all that was known before. To surpass as 

 he did would seem now to require an intellect even more 

 gigantic than his own ; and as the circle of the sciences 

 widens, it must become more and more a wonder if any 

 one should arise, prepared as he was to produce such con- 

 spicuous advancement in them all. When crowds as now 



