August 2, 1901.] 



SCIENCE 



171 



struggle to perpetuate itself and secure an 

 autonomous existence. It had become 

 after the foreclosure of its own bnild- 

 iug the guest of the University, moving 

 from the Stuyvesant Institute on Broad- 

 way to the Medical College upon the 

 site of the present Tammany Hall. With 

 the disappearance of its collections, and 

 the abrupt termination of plans of its 

 growth into a substitute for a museum, 

 its formative relations to the Ameri- 

 can Museum ceased. Its scientific work 

 continued, and the spirit of research it 

 fostered helped the objects of the 

 Museum. Such addresses as that 

 of Dr. Barnard at its Semi-Centen- 

 nial on ' The relation of science to 

 the advancement of civilization and 

 the expediency of a public provision 

 for the support and encouragement 

 of scientific inquiry ' were directly 

 stimulating to the project of a mu- 

 seum, at that moment ready to take 

 place. Besides the slender and per- 

 haps almost imperceptible influence 

 of the Lyceum in creating a demand 

 for a great museum, a small meas- 

 ure of regard can be bestowed upon 

 the efi"ect, on the public-spirited 

 citizens at least, of the Brooklyn 

 Institute, which during all these 

 years from 1845 onward had been 

 eagaged in the study of science, in devel- 

 opiug scientific discussion, scientific edu- 

 cation, and in stimulating the acquirement 

 of scientific collections. A few details of 

 the history of this institution can hardly 

 be disregarded in any exhaustive sketch of 

 the scientific tendencies then surrounding 

 or immanent in New York City. The 

 Brooklyn Institute originated in the Brook- 

 lyn Apprentices' Library Association in 

 1825. It expanded rapidl}'. Lectures 

 under its auspices were amongst the first 

 public expositions of natural science near 

 New York. In 1843 it assumed the pres- 



ent name and function of the Brooklyn In- 

 stitute, and was really an important factor 

 in the educational life of Brooklyn. Here 

 Agassiz, Dana, Gray, Henry, Morse, Mit- 

 chill, Torrey, Guyot and Cooke brought 

 the treasures of their learning and thought 

 during the conspicuously brilliant period of 

 its activity from 1843 to 1867. Mr. Augus- 

 tus Graham endowed it, and while for some 

 time the interests of history and the claim 

 of religion somewhat disabled the efforts 

 of its scientific members, collections were 

 made, notably that of coleoptera of Harvey 



New York Dispensary, AVhite and Centre Streets. 



G. Rich, and the interests of science through 

 its remarkable educational work advanced. 

 It served its useful purpose in preparing 

 the ground, in cultivating public feeling for 

 the erection and support of a great museum. 

 A stream of influence, not very perceptible, 

 perhaps, but of some importance as the 

 years drew near to 1876, emanated from 

 the School of Mines in Columbia College 

 (1864), where from the exertions of Pro- 

 fessor J. S. Newberry the study of botany 

 and zoology was more technically pur- 

 sued than anywhere else in New York, 

 and from which groups of young students 



