14 HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE 



wealth and could not look to government for support. It flourished greatly for a consid- 

 erable period and only showed signs of weakness when its rapidly increasing collections, 

 garnered from every quarter of the globe, called for continuous labor and large expendi- 

 ture of money. Engaged as the members were in professional or business occupations, 

 they could not give the former, and they became tired of soliciting subscriptions to meet 

 the latter. The result was inevitable. 



THE BOSTON SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



In passing from the consideration of the doings, the experience and the dissolution of the 

 Linnaean Society to a review of the history of the Boston Society of Natural History, the 

 question naturally arises in the mind whether the new Society started under any better 

 auspices, financially or otherwise, than the old, and if not, whether its aims and objects 

 were so different as to render it less liable to ultimately meet with the same fate. 



A careful reading of its records fails to show that pecuniarily it was any better provided 

 with means in the early period of its existence, or that its aims and objects or its proposed 

 methods of action were in the least different from those of its unfortunate predecessor. 

 This is especially noticeable, as among its earliest members are found the names of several 

 who had been active in the Linnsean Society. 



As will be seen further on, the Society was at first dependent entirely on the annual 

 assessment of its members ; yet it proceeded at once to collect specimens for its museum 

 without discrimination, thus involving itself in the same kind of expenditure for their 

 arrangement and preservation. That it finally succeeded in establishing itself on a firm 

 foundation will be seen to have been the result of fortunate circumstances that could not 

 have been foreseen, much less depended upon, and without which success would probably 

 have been impossible. 



The first meeting of such persons as favored the formation of a new society was held 

 at the house of Dr. Walter Channing, February 9th, 1830. Dr. Channing was made 

 Chairman, and Mr. Simon E. Greene, Secretary. A committee was appointed to 

 recommend at a future day such measures as it should judge advisable for the formation 

 of the Society, and for creating an interest on the part of the public in its objects. 



Dr. George Hayward, Dr. John Ware, Mr. Edward Brooks, Dr. Amos Binney and Mr. 

 Geo. B. Emerson, composed the committee. It does not appear whether other persons 

 were present than the seven named, as the number that met is not mentioned. Of those 

 whose names appear, three were active members of the Linnoean Society, viz. : Dr. Walter 

 Channing, Dr. Hayward, and Dr. Ware. There were two other original members 

 of the new Society who had been active in the Linnaean, viz. : John Davis, LL.D., and 

 Mr. Henry Codman. 



At a meeting subsequently held, the date of which is not given, the committee made 

 a report, which was adopted and a vote was passed, " That a Society on the plan proposed, 

 be now formed," and this was followed by the appointment of a committee to wait upon 

 persons favorable to the objects of the Society and obtain their signatures ; with authority 

 to call another meeting as soon as a sufficient number had subscribed. 



