NATURAL HISTORY. 3 



to human purposes natural philosophy, which 

 explains the relative operation of created -sub- 

 stances upon each other, and reasons upon the 

 causes by which those operations are produced- 

 and all human inventions, improvements, and 

 acquirements, have been considered fit subjects 

 for investigation and discussion: though natural 

 history, and the different sciences immediately 

 connected with it, in a society constituted as 

 ours is, may be considered the most applicable 

 and useful. 



In consequence of this arrangement, besides 

 those now submitted to the public, very interest- 

 ing lectures on geology, chemistry, ancient and 

 local agriculture, the island barrows, poetry, 

 and on the origin of language, have been deli- 

 vered at the monthly meetings by members who 

 have paid attention to those subjects : and others 

 are expected, which, from the high literary 

 attainments from the gentlemen from whom they 

 are likely to emanate, promise much intellectual 

 gratification, and practical utility to the Society; 

 and to the respective families and friends of the 

 members who are usually invited to attend the 

 lectures. 



If we take a view of the universe under our 

 present improved knowledge, and of the well 

 known capabilities of the human mind; we may 

 be hastily led to express our surprise that so 



B2 



