138 



EDITORIAL NOTICES. 



[1853. 



medals open for competition to all tlie Provinces ; the latter by its val- 

 uable historical and scientific publications, has, doubtless, to a limited 

 extent, influenced the cultivation of literary and scientific pursuits in 

 this Province. Honor to whom honor is due. Our remark had- refer- 

 ence principally to that practical encouragement ■which such pursuits 

 can derive from the action of a local body. In conclusion, let not the 

 friends of science and hterature in Lower Canada, admit the supposi- 

 tion that any uugeuerons spij-it of rivahy actuates those who are sup- 

 porting the same cause here ; or tliat the latter seek to exalt themselves 

 at the expense of the former. A little healthy emulation, will promote 

 perhaps, the life of both parties ; but let, at least, the jealousy of Scien- 

 tific Societies be for Canada, alone — and East and West, combine to 

 promote her good, and bring honor to her name. 



To the jSd'dor of the Canadian Journal : 



Montreal, 31st Dec. 1852. 



Sm, — lly attention having lately been caDed to a remark in the 

 introduction to the first number of your Journal, coupled with a para- 

 graph in the more widely circulated valuable Almanac of your Pub- 

 lisher, on the present state of the Natural Histo-y Society, I trust I 

 may, as its President, be permitted to occupy a small space in your 

 columns, while I endeavour to vindicate that Association fi'om any 

 prejudicial effects likely to arise from a partial mi.stake made in the 

 one, and an ungenerous and undeserved insinuation in the other. 



In the very appropriate introductory remarks alluded to, you very 

 justly draw p\ibUc attention to the comparatively little progress as yet 

 made in Canada, in the pursuit and cultivation of the Physical Sciences, 

 and to theii' having by no means attained that placewhich mighthave 

 been looked for at tli.s stage of our history. I regret to be compelled 

 to admit the hurailiatiug fact ; but I am not quite satisfied with the 

 manner in which yoii reter to the only two instances noticed by you : 

 and I am disposed to think that you might have commenced with ex- 

 amples nearer home — it being well known that signal failures have taken 

 place in the good City of Toronto, — where, with a united, and, as it 

 were, hr>mogeueous British population, better things might have been 

 expected. For instance, without going further, — though there are even 

 later iustances — you might have named "The Liitrary andPhihsopJdcal 

 SocicUj of Upper Canada," attempted to be set on foot, some 21 years 

 ago, under the patronage of Sir John Colborne, for the promotion and 

 study of I^atur.il and Civil History, Natural Philosophy and the Fine 

 A rts" but which fell to the ground in spite of all the efforts of such 

 men as Dr. Dunlop, Mr. Charles Fothergill. Dr. llees, and othei's. But 

 von were content to siugle out the two Societies in iou'cr Canada alone, 

 and without bearing in mind that curse of Canada, " the war of races," 

 which seeu's doomed to forbid all generous amalgation of mind or 

 maltcr, for many years to come, state as follows : — " It is true that two 

 Societies, directed more or less to this object have existed in Lower 

 Canada for more than twenty years, (a circumstance rather ci'editable 

 to it, be it remembered.) tlie Literary and Historical Society at 

 Quebec, fuuniled i)i 1824, and the Natural History Society of Mon- 

 treal, finniln.l ill l-<iT; hut we have ihi. highest aidlmrity for inferring 

 that III' l"il' r. r'/ /, ./,s/, haa not yd realized the expectations of its zealous 

 found' r: iimi- c:ui llie last report of the authorities of the former be 

 deemed entirely satisfactory. Neither have practically exercised any 

 influence in Upper Canada." 



Now, sir, permit me to remark, that though every candid observer 

 must allow th;it neither of these Associations has come up to the mark 

 which ijiiL'lit have been expected, both of them have, in spite of all 

 local ob.^t;icles, \uHloubtcdly " exercised some influence " in Canada 

 at large ; the one in its Historical Researches, aud various interesting 

 Papers connected with the Natural History of the country ; and the 

 other in having — besides other important though silent influence, — 

 liaving indet'atigably forced upon the Legislature the valuable Geolo- 

 gical .Survey (jf tlie Province now so successfully in progress under 

 your InslHal'-'s distinguished President, 3fr. Logan. Nay, I will even 

 venture to add, in despite of " the high authority " on which you rely 

 that the Natural History Society, with all its sho!t-coming.s, has in one 

 main respect "realized the expectation of its ze;dous foundeis," to a 

 vei V crrclii.ibli- ch'iriiT, ill li:i\ ill'.,' accimuil.ated a 3ftiseHm oi no mean 

 preli'iiMiiii-. Ii' -111.- :i \':y i.-|ir,i.ilile little Library of about 1,000 

 voluniiN ; anil thai I viiil\ luliiM- — audi say so, free from any local 

 bias, brill',' a tliiiuiiiL,']i l'|ijier Canadian — that but for their anxiety to 

 accoin]ili^li llial olijecl, and the heavy debt \ni,ivoidably incurred in 

 the ]nirclia.-i' of a ni.iusinn suited to such purposes, it might have long 

 ere tliis borne lilerarv fruits th.at would not have been discreditable 

 to it ; anil that, at all events, there is now a spirit oC revival aniong its 

 local member.s, on whom alone, — unlike your sucietv — the whole 

 pecuniary burthen falls, — which, if well seconded liy tlieir numerous 

 corres]ionding .•i.-isociates, and properly encoui'aged by the public, will 



not only no( "be evanescent," but ere long lead to very satisfactory 

 results. 



The paragraph in the Almanac to which I allude, is as follows : — 

 ' Nidiirul Hiitory Society of Montreal. — Established about 25 years ago, 

 for the di velopenient of the Natural Jlistory of the Province, aud its 

 subsequent application to economic purposes. It is supported by a 

 Legislative grant, and the contributions of members. The late Eev. J. 

 Somerville, bequeathed the handsome sum of £1000 to it, on condition 

 tl;a' the interest should be devoted annually to the payment of a series 

 of lectures on some suljjects of Naturid Historv. The Society has pock- 

 eted the £ 1000 ; hut the nijuircnunt /(i(.s not ban too cxad/yfi/jHlled. The 

 Society, however, is located in their own building, in Little St. James 

 Street, and presents for exaiuination, a Museum, whether of Zoological, 

 Mineralogical, or Geological specimens, second to few on this continent. 

 The Zoological Department is partioulaily rich, comprising almost 

 every species met with in this Province. The Society seems lately to 

 have acquired a fresh impetus. TVe only hope that It may not prove 

 evanescent." 



Now, Si]', idlow me to observe that there appears an uukindly, if 

 not hostile feeUng lurking in part of this obseiTation, which it would 

 have been more creditable to the informant to have checked. I allude 

 to the expression that the Society had pocketed the £1000 left by the 

 late Mr. Somervillj, Ar.. wlif.ras the fact is, that in the express words 

 of the will, and not a-; -talrvl aliMve, the bequeath was made "towards 

 the founding of a Lcctiin thip on S^'atiiral History;" and that though the 

 money has been temporally bon'owed, to pay off part of the debt 

 incurred in the purchase of the commodious mansion now nmninally 

 owned by the Society, but, in fact, belonging to the public, that was 

 done on the thorough understanding among the members that, imtil 

 repaid, a course of gratuitous lectures should be annually delivered by 

 them and their frieuds ; — and that this has ever smce been the case ; 

 and that 1 om rrrn disposed to believe that Mr. Scobie*s infonnant was one 

 of tin iiKiiu i'r"ni"1'rs of that arrangement. I may further add, that had 

 ParliaiiK 111 I'nn lately as liberal to the Natural Hi.stury Society as to 

 various otlier lu.--titutions in Lower, and even Upper Canada, it would 

 have the sooner been enabled to can-y out the SomervUle Bequest to 

 the very letter, without attempting to pocket a single farthing of the 

 money. 



Cord ially wishing the Canadian Institute every po.ssible success in 

 the noble course which it has chalked out for itself. 



I remain your obedient servant. 



R. LACHLAN. 



Editorial Notices. 



We Iiave pleasure in acknowledging the receipt of a small box, 

 containing' some fragments of limestone, and a small packet of 

 an exceedingly pure and beautiful specimen of burned lime. We 

 lia\'c not as yet, received any communication from the donor. The 

 specimen of lime is remai-kable for its purity. We should be 

 e.\tremely obliged to the anonymous contributor if he would 

 favour us with the name of the locality where the specimens were 

 procured : at the same time we thank him for his interesting con- 

 tribution to the museum of limestones which it is the desire of the 

 Council of the Canadian Institute to form and describe. 



Mr. Edward Van Cortlandt's notice of an Indian Buryino' 

 Ground will appear in out ne.xt number. 



At the weekly meeting of the Canadian Institute, on Saturday, 

 January 8th, it was resolved, — " That it be an instruction to the 

 Council to take steps to bring under the consideration of the Pro- 

 vincial Legislature the intention of the Iiuperial authorities to 

 withdraw the military detachment in charge of the Toronto Mag- 

 netic Observatory ; and to suggest the continuance of the observa- 

 tions under Provincial authority." In compliance with the above 

 resolution, the Council of the Institute ])repared a draft of a peti- 

 tion to the Governor-General in Council, which was submittal to 

 a very numerously attended meeting of members of the Institute, 

 on Saturday. .Tanuary 1 5th, and appprov'ed of. 



