128 PROCEEDINGS S. I. ASS'n ARTS AND SCIENCES. [VOL. I 



he formulated and pursue the methods which were his in all of our 

 scientific activities. By merely recognizing and calling attention to 

 this fact we show our respect for the man and what he has wrought 

 far better than by even the most earnest and sincere attempt to express 

 our sentiments in words. 



Consciously or unconsciously the influence of Linnaeus is felt by all 

 modern scientific workers. System, or rather the ability to system- 

 atize, is the key to progress in all lines of human endeavor, and science 

 in particular owes its present commanding position to those who have 

 recognized and applied the principles of Linnaeus in their work and 

 who have accepted and applied his rules for the nomenclature of 

 natural objects. 



Linnaeus was preeminently a systematist, and it was this habit of 

 mind, more than anything else, that raised him above his conternpo- 

 raries in science. Without his masterly ability to coordinate and 

 arrange his work in logical sequence and coherent groupings his great 

 powers of observation would have lacked completeness. This ability 

 was the special characteristic which enabled him to revolutionize the 

 scientific work of his age and to influence so profoundly all that has 

 followed. 



To Linnaeus may well be applied the words of Bourget: "In life 

 everything is unique and nothing happens more than once." 



Submitted on behalf of 



The Staten Island Association of Arts and Sciences. 



Arthur Hollick, delegate. 



200th anniversary of the birth of Linnaeus, 



May 23rd, 1907. 



The President then delivered his annual address as follows: 



ANNUAL ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT. 



It is doubtless my duty in the annual address required by the By- 

 Laws to apprise you of the progress of the Association during the past 

 year as well as of its condition and prospects. 



The year just closed has witnessed an increasing interest and zeal on 

 the part of our members and a growing influence in the community. 

 Without special efiforts our membership has been increased by the 

 election of twenty-seven new members, and the number on our roll at 

 the present time, 146, is larger than ever before in the history of the 

 Association. 



