principle should not be lost sight of. " The Koyal Commission on 

 Scientific Instruction and the Advancement of Science " has just 

 issued its " Fourth Eeport" in which — besides what it contains on 

 Metropolitan Institutions — much space has been devoted to esti- 

 mating the capabilities in this way of the Museums already exist- 

 ing in the chief Provincial towns — many of which, like our own, 

 owe their origin to the munificence of individuals or associations. 

 That our Museum, in combination with other means of teaching at 

 the command of this Institution, may be rendered fairly available 

 for scientific instruction was evinced whilst the Mining School was 

 carried on under our auspices. A much more moderate aid from 

 Government than the commission has recommended for Museums 

 in large towns would render our means of instruction highly efficient. 

 It is scarcely presumptuous to hope that a commission may some 

 day deign to consider claims like ours and that this Institution 

 may own a more useful future than even its founders contemplated. 

 Irrespective of the said Commission there are many indications 

 that there is an idea afloat that there are various provincial insti- 

 tutions of which use may be made for the purposes of instruction ; 

 such was the general off'er made to local societies by the South 

 Kensington authorities some years ago, to assist any of these that 

 will establish a science-class with the loan of collections of scien- 

 tific instruments, &c. With a view to an address to the Edinburgh 

 Botanical Society, which was delivered in November, 1872, Sir 

 Walter Elliot, K.C.S.I., spared no pains to make himself acquainted 

 with the constitution and proceedings of every provincial society 

 that was engaged in promoting its study, and has compiled a well- 

 digested summary with respect to them. Guided by this summary, 

 and from independent inquiries, a writer in Nature (Oct. 23, 1873), 

 makes out that there are in the provinces nearly 150 societies 

 engaged in one form or another in scientific pursuits ; an enum- 

 eration, if it be correct, that justifies the thoughts that are being 

 bestowed upon them. 



To speak next of our Journal, it may be too much to affirm that, 

 in its management, the Council has never been biased by a desire 

 to retain the goodwill of individual contributors. But as far as 

 I can remember, this has happened so little of late years, that we 

 need not claim much indulgence from its readers on this account. 

 The fact of a paper appearing in the Journal only implies that, as 

 far as the Council can inform itself, it has merits — as in novelty of 

 views or in its sources of research — that entitle it to attention : 

 but this in nowise commits the Council or any m.ember of the 

 Society to an approval of its conclusions. Without the recogniton 

 of such a principle as this no society could be kept in working 



