260 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [Aug. 



about in the past, discuss such topics as vivisection, and 

 the supposed rig-ht of all scientists to practice it without 

 restriction or inspection. How can others feel much inter- 

 est in such doing-s ? 



The conduct of the society as now run seems to be 

 tinctured with selfinterest, and the devotion of one's time 

 and thoug-ht to self leads to the alienation of others. 



That bee-in-the-bonnet — to become F. R. M. S. and to be 

 able to label one's name with those letters seems to over- 

 shaddow the minds of the little g-roup who g"0 to the meet- 

 ing's, so that they are blind to what would interest a larg-e 

 number of people. This, if true, will sufficiently explain 

 why so few join the company. 



The g-reatly decreased number of local societies and the 

 loss of interest in their work throug-hout the country has 

 never given the American Society any concern. Never 

 has it lent any aid to small and strug-g-ling- societies, never 

 has it asked after their welfare, never has it invited them 

 to send delegates to its meetings. It does not even present 

 them with copies of its Transactions. It leaves them all 

 to get on as they may, and that has been for many years 

 past towards decay. 



Another thing the Society might have done and it never 

 has done so. It might each year bring one of the world's 

 great microscopists from Europe to deliver an address, 

 and to advise regarding its work. The announcement in 

 the periodicals, three months in advance, that Nelson or 

 Dallinger, or Abbe will be present would mean that men 

 will make efforts to attend who will not go to a mutual 

 admiration circle. The money spent in publishing papers 

 that were never read and absolutely verbatim reports of 

 business discussions would suffice to bring one great guest 

 to the meeting annually. All such papers could be pub- 

 lished without cost to the society and the money now 

 wasted be made useful. 



In the last volume, one hundred and twenty-eight pages 

 were occupied with eleven papers which were not read at 

 the meeting, their authors were not present and very likely 

 the papers were not completely written till after the meet- 



