Middlesex IlorticuUural Society. 163 



The professed object of the Middlesex HorticuUural Socie- 

 ty, as set forth in its constitution, is "to encourage the cuhure 

 of plants, flowers and fruits in this county, and to furnish, by 

 public gratuitous exhibitions of them, in this city, an innocent, 

 grateful, and instructive pleasure to our citizens." 



So far as the exhibitions have been concerned, we have no 

 doubt as to the success of the scheme. Your crowded halls, 

 in the early experiment, soon convinced the regular commit- 

 tees of management, that the public demanded better accom- 

 modations. Each succeeding display was visited by hosts of 

 admirers, and attended by those desirous of profiting by the 

 advantages there afforded. This is encouraging. Were it 

 only to attract hither the young and the old of all classes in so- 

 ciety, and to withdraw from the fever of business, and the 

 cares of life, the attention of the community, to renovate the 

 energies by relaxing the mind, it were almost enough to war- 

 rant our sedulous attention; but beside this, many are the ben- 

 efts which may accrue. Society in great cities becomes too 

 worldly and selfish. It needs more intercommunion and inter- 

 change. Independent of our republican principles, we need 

 the cooperation and sympathy of each other. Far above the 

 puerile, and oftentimes worse than foolish, distinctions which a 

 difference in the conditions of life make, are considerations 

 which should never be overlooked by the philanthropist. 

 Wealth and the world may recognize distinctions, but mind 

 and goodness know none. If we are truly alive to the pro- 

 gressive improvement of society, we should never overlook 

 the first and best means to promote it. We must know each 

 other's feelings, and understand each other's motives more and 

 better than we now do. It is in this point of view that pur- 

 suits such as ours, and all kindred to them, may be seen in their 

 happiest light. The studies of nature lead to the most exalted 

 and generous of virtues! When men have a common interest 

 at heart, they entertain a common sympathy. Thus we revere 

 what is only and truly venerable, the development of the 

 mind; and forget, meanwhile, the more trivial and unimportant 

 distinctions, which artificial notions establish. 



In a late conversation with one, of whose name I had often 

 heard, but whom I had, until then, never seen, and this indi- 

 vidual a naturalist, the following remark was made: — "How 

 easily those who study nature become acquainted; the formali- 

 ty of social intercourse, and all the stiffness of constraint are 

 laid aside at once, in the pursuit of a common cause." I can- 



