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SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



THE WORK OF A SCIENTIFIC SOCIETY. 



By Rev. H. N. Hutchinson, B.A., F.G.S. 

 (Author of "Extinct Monsters," etc.) 



T N these days when a powerful search-light is 

 continually being thrown upon nearly every 

 institution of our country, it is impossible that the 

 learned societies, as they are called, should escape 

 much longer the public gaze. The time is soon 

 coming when they will, one and all, be subjected to 

 a severe criticism on behalf of the democracy. It 

 is quite clear that at present their work, then- 

 methods, and their organization are matters of 

 comparative indifference to the general public. 

 This state of affairs, however, cannot last for ever, 

 and it is highly probable that before very long 

 we shall see some influential newspaper or magazine 

 devoting its columns to a searching and probably 

 far from friendly inquiry into the whole question. 

 To be forewarned is, or ought to be, to be fore- 

 armed, and therefore I make no apology for bring- 

 ing forward this very important and interesting 

 question. 



Scientific men ought, whenever such inquiry 

 comes, to welcome it rather than show any resent- 

 ment — if it is done carefully and conscientiously. 

 I believe that there is a real need of inquiry and 

 criticism in this matter, and that the learned 

 societies have much to gain thereby in the end — 

 even should they receive severe criticism at the 

 time. My work as a lecturer and writer on 

 geology has been the means of drawing my atten- 

 tion to this subject ; and, after reflection thereon, 

 I am convinced that our learned societies might 

 play a much more important part than they do 

 in further spreading scientific knowledge and feed- 

 ing the people intellectually. At present they are 

 sadly behind the age, and, moreover, they appear 

 to have no idea but to go on in the same hum- 

 drum way as they always have done, publishing 

 their ponderous and almost unreadable reports, 

 quarterly journals, etc., with a cheerful and almost 

 proud contentment that is really astonishing when 

 one considers for a moment how much more they 

 might do. Of course, no sensible person would 

 presume to find fault with or condemn the work 

 which is being done by any of our leading learned 

 societies, such as the Royal Society, the Royal 

 Astronomical, the Physical, the Chemical, the 

 Linnaean, the Zoological, the Geological. They 

 encourage workers to carry on researches in all 

 departments of science ; they listen to the valuable 

 papers that are often read, bringing forward new- 

 facts, new observations, and sometimes new ideas. 

 The discussions which take place after the reading 

 of such papers are frequently of much value and 

 interest, and then the papers and discussions are 



generally published to the world. At the same 

 time one cannot help noticing that papers are some- 

 times unnecessarily multiplied, and that they often 

 contain too much detail. The sum and substance 

 of a long paper could often be compressed into a 

 single column of Science-Gossip. 



The question which rises so constantly to my 

 mind in considering the work of our Geological 

 Society is — why should we stop here ? Have we 

 not yet much useful work to do ? Could we not 

 cover a larger field of operations, and play a more 

 useful part in our country and empire? In other 

 words, have we not got too much into one groove — 

 and that of a somewhat narrow kind ? There is 

 something essentially conservative about a learned 

 society ; tradition and custom count for much, and it 

 seems at first sight rather presumptuous for an 

 individual member to dare to suggest to a number 

 of distinguished geologists (such as are on the 

 council of our society) that their ideas are not 

 sufficiently progressive, or that the gentle applica- 

 tion of a vis a tergo might be a good thing for them. 

 However, it is in no disrespectful tone that I wish to 

 offer the following practical suggestions for extend- 

 ing our sphere, and I am not without hope that in 

 some quarters they will be welcome. 



i. The Library. — A good deal might be done to 

 make our library more complete, and also to keep 

 the books in better order. In the first place one 

 often finds that some important book is not in the 

 collection, and that means going to the British 

 Museum instead. There is a very good collection 

 of pamphlets ; but in some other directions there 

 are gaps to be filled up. Many of the books are 

 in a dusty condition ; and they are very much 

 scattered about for want of more room, some being 

 in one part of the building, some in another. This 

 want of space leads to our next heading. 



2. New Rooms with a good Lecture- 

 Theatre. — By moving to larger buildings the 

 books could be more conveniently arranged, and 

 perhaps a Lecture-Theatre could be added on. 

 The latter is an important part of our scheme, as 

 will be seen presently. 



3. Incorporation with the Pal.eontogra- 

 phical Society — Surely the important work of 

 publishing well-illustrated monographs on Palaeon- 

 tology is one which ought properly to belong to 

 the Geological Society. Would it not be more 

 economical, as well as more convenient, to have a 

 common home for both the Societies ? 



4. A Publishing Department. — It seems to 

 me there ought to be a publishing department to 



