THE president's ADDRESS. 103 



this plan; there is a good opening already for several others, and it 

 might have been better if this method had not been departed from in 

 any ease of the kind. Where a large and wealthy population, including 

 many cuUivators of almost every imagioary variety of human knowledge, 

 is collected together within a comparatively small space, there is induce- 

 ment to the formation of numerous distinct Societies, though even then 

 the advantages are by no means unmixed; but in a new country, with a 

 scattered and not on the average a very wealthy population, all that can 

 be said of the importance of the higher culture, and the general benefit 

 arising from its diffusion, favors comprehensive plans as alone likely to 

 be successful, as alone having even a chance of any wide support, or of 

 exerting any extended beneficial influence. The cases of private clubs, 

 for particular studies and pursuits, literary or scientific, are no more 

 touched by these remarks, than if their objects were musical or merely 

 social; but the formation of formal societies for the cultivation of distinct 

 branches of science or literature, cannot be otherwise than an act of 

 hostiliiy against a more comprehensive association, which is at the same 

 time seeking and prepared to welcome the very communications which are 

 thus turned into a new channel. The question is, which plan is on the 

 whole best ? K our community is prepared to support various distinct 

 scientific bodies, to enable them to publish their papers and carry out 

 their separate plans, they have a right to try experiments. I tell them 

 plainly they will not meet with the support they seek; and whatever 

 success they do obtain will be so much strength drawn away from the 

 Canadian Inslifiute, a Society which aims at a wider usefulness, and has 

 claims on the patronage of every man in the country who loves and 

 values knowledge and culture — which offers to them all privileges, such 

 as no limited body can pretend to afford. 



I come DOW to a question as to the extent of country over which such 

 a Society as ours may advantageously extend its operations. The 

 Canadian Institute was designed by its founders to embrace the whole 

 province of Canada as then understood, enrolling among its members 

 the scattered lovers of knowledge, and collecting their communications 

 as materials for its journal. It has at present members in various parts 

 of Ontario and Quebec, none of whom it would willingly part from ; 

 but the new condition of public affairs forces us to re-consider our con- 

 dition, and to form some judgment as to what course will be of most 

 public utility, and will best advance our objects.' We might possibly 

 aspire to extend our operations over the whole Dominion, or be reac^y 



