2i8 Sheppard : Hull's Contribution to Science. 



formed, which to a certain deg^ree are carrying on the work 

 formerly done by their predecessors. The various and numerous 

 institutions, rangfing- from the Literary and Philosophical Society 

 to the smallest g-uild or mutual improvement society con- 

 nected with a church or chapel, have resulted in the interest 

 being- squandered. Photography and the magic lantern are in 

 part responsible for this. The reading- and discussion of strictly 

 scientific papers before larg-e audiences is now almost a things 

 of the past. The ' popular lantern lecture ' is far more accept- 

 able, and if the membership of the societies is to be kept up, the 

 demands of the members in this respect must be catered for. 

 The Hull Literary and Philosophical Society (now, I reg-ret to- 

 say, a Literary and Philosophical Society by name only) is by 

 no means alone, but has shared the inevitable fate of similar 

 societies in almost every provincial town in the country. Its 

 very existence to-day is due to the fact that its officers have 

 decided to alter the nature of its proceedings to meet the times. 

 Had its orig-inal plan been adhered to, the income would certainly 

 not have met the expenditure, and it would have had to be num- 

 bered with many other once useful societies, now no more. The 

 formation of numerous societies dealing- with special subjects 

 has also greatly interfered with the centralisation of scientific 

 thought. Particular reference is made to the Literary and 

 Philosophical Society because it is the only local one that can 

 look back for any great length of time, and because its career 

 is so very characteristic of the times, and the rise and fall of its 

 science department chronicles the state of scientific activity in 

 the town during the last eighty years. 



In October, 1822, just over eighty years ago, a few gentlemen 

 met at the Dog and Duck Tavern, primarily to discuss the 

 advisability of purchasing a collection of curiosities from Mr. 

 W. W. Hyde, in order to form a museum for the town. At the 

 same time the necessity for some scientific institution was felt, 

 and it is found that on the proposition of Mr. W. H. Dykes, 

 seconded by Mr. Fielding, the following resolution was unani- 

 mously passed: — 'That an Institution be formed at Hull for 

 the general promotion of Literature and Science.' On the same 

 date as the above-mentioned meeting, the collection of curios 

 was examined and purchased for £,80. On November 6th 

 the ' Code of Laws of the Hull Literary and Philosophical 

 Society ' was adopted, and by January ist, 1823, the society had 

 paid ;^'i5 in advance for the use of two rooms above the news- 

 room of the Exchange. By July the President (Dr. J. Alderson) 

 had delivered an address, which was printed, and a further 

 collection of fossils, shells, birds, etc., had been secured 



