at the opening of the Society'^s IlalL 11 



not, even now, be ashamed to exhibit our hall to a sci- 

 entific stranger, we must yet be aware that we have 

 only made a beginning, an excellent one, it is true, but 

 still a beginning — and that several departments must 



be much 



than 



we can throw^ open our doors to the most learned and 

 critical visiter, with a feeling of satisfaction and honorable 

 pride, convinced that we are showing liiai what he will 

 be gratified to see. It should be our object, in this re- 

 gard, to attend particularly to the formation or completion 

 of such collections as may give a good idea of the natural 

 features of our o^^Tl country, and of our own section of 

 our country. If I were travelling in Spain or Persia, I 

 should desire especially, to examine some depository of the 

 natural productions of Spain or Persia. If I were travelling 



Western 



with 



England 



;ies, to one well stocked 

 And so too, I presume. 



first of all desire to see those objects w hich illustrate the 

 natural history of New England. For our own instruc- 

 tion and gi'atification, indeed, and for the advancement of 

 natural science among uSj we shall gladly collect fi'om 

 every quarter and every coast and comer of the globe, 

 firom every sea and lake and river, whatever can be iur- 

 nished to our purposes ; and yet, for own sakes too, we 

 shall least of all choose to be ignorant of the beings and 

 things with which Prov^idence has surrounded our own 

 dwellings ; of the plants w*hich spring from our native 

 soil, the birds which fly in our own heavens, and whatso- 

 ever passeth through the paths of our o^^ti seas. 



It will also greatly conduce to our improvement, and 

 to the cultivation of a taste for natural history in our com- 

 munity, that Ave should prosecute our intention of publish- 



