* 
ee 
ae 
308 Explanations and — of the plan 
learned.societies in the world, and of enriching its library with 
their current transactions and proceedings. ut perhaps the 
‘most important effect of the plan will be that of giving to the 
world many valuable memoirs, which; on account of the expense 
of the illustrations, could not be otherwise published. Every 
one who adds new and important truths to the existing stock of 
oy dniameoen be of necessity, to a certain degree, in advance 
8) i 
of his age. Henee the number of readers and purchasers of a 
wor. 
consi 
generally in the inverse ratio of its intrinsic value; and 
enth 
iently, authors of the highest rank of merit are frequently 
. See Cie oe, 3 
‘thing to publish his work: “I have issued,” he says, ‘six vol- 
umes, and am engaged on the seventh, but as yet I have not re- 
eived a single cent of the proceeds.” In an address on the sub- 
of natural history, by one of our most active cultivators of 
branch of knowledge, we find the following remarks, whic 
works on different branches of zoology, now in the course of 
ae 
