XLII PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON. 
of the man of science they almost invariably base their claims for 
his honor and support upon his usefulness. : 
The precise limit beyond which a scientist should not make 
money has not yet been precisely determined, but in this vicinity 
there are some reasons for thinking that the maximum limit is 
about $5,000 per annum. If there are any members of the Philo- 
sophical Society of Washington who are making more than this, or 
who, as the result of careful and scientific introspection, discover in 
themselves the dawning of a desire to make more than this, they 
may console themselves with the reflection that the precise ethics 
and etiquette which should govern their action under such painful 
circumstances have not yet been formulated. The more they 
demonstrate their indifference to mere pecuniary considerations the 
more creditable it is to them; so much all are agreed upon; but 
this is nothing new, nor is it specially applicable to scientists. Yet 
while each may and must settle such questions as regards himself 
for himself, let him be very cautious and chary about trying to 
settle them for other people. Denunciations of other men engaged 
in scientific pursuits on the ground that their motives are not the 
proper ones are often based on insufficient or inaccurate knowledge, 
and seldom, I think, do good. 
This is a country and an age of hurry, and there seems to be a 
desire to rush scientific work as well as other things. One might 
suppose, from some of the literature on the subject, that the great 
object is to make discoveries as fast as possible; to get all the math- 
ematical problems worked out; all the chemical combinations made; 
all the insects and plants properly labeled; all the bones and mus- 
cles of every animal figured and described. From the point of view 
of the man of science there does not seem to be occasion for such 
haste. Suppose that every living thing were known, figured, and 
described. Would the naturalist be any happier? Those who wish 
to make use of the results of scientific investigation of course 
desire to hasten the work, and when they furnish the means we can- 
not object to their urgency. Moreover, there is certainly no occa- 
sion to fear that our stock of that peculiar form of bliss known as 
ignorance will be soon materially diminished. 
From my individual point of view, one of the prominent features _ 
in the scientific procession is that part of it which is connected with 
Government work. Our Society brings together a large number of 
scientific men connected with the various Departments; some of 
