American Association, 231 



Societies, of about 250. It is cause of mueli regret that the pro- 

 portion of these, who have responded to the invitations and are 

 likely to attend, is so small ; but the length of the voyage, the 

 time that it necessarily must occupy, and the very few free pas- 

 sages placed at the disposal of the Committee have all in some 

 degree contributed to lessen the number. The fact of the Bri- 

 tish Association holding its meeting during the same month, and 

 the engagement so many of the European celebrities have con- 

 tracted in respect thereof, has also been a g-reat drawback to the 

 attendance of the foreigners invited. But we are proud to say 

 that among those whom we have good reason to expect will be 

 present on the occasion, are Sir R. J. Murchison, Director general 

 of the Geological Survey of Great Britain ; CoL W. J. Hamilton^ 

 M. P., ex-president of the Geological Society of London ; Dr. 

 Seaman, delegate from the Linnean Society of London; and Sij. 

 Wm. Hooker, of the Royal Botanical Gardens. 



Before concluding this brief notice of an Association which we 

 are now so actively preparing to receive, it may be well to reply 

 to a question which some will be sure to ask, viz : bow this Asso- 

 ciation differs from its fellows, and what peculiar means it has of 

 awakening and directing to scientific purposes the power of the 

 social spirit ; or why, when there were so many old and new 

 societies for the advancement of science, it was thought necessary 

 and expedient to call this society into being. To say that in this 

 respect it has but followed the example set it by the older and 

 more celebrated institution in our father land, would, to all who 

 understand the benefits and advantages accruing to science and 

 the world at large from the labor of the members of that distin- 

 guished association, be explanation enough, especially when 

 added to the fact that we live in a comparatively new country, 

 iaiid that in scientific investigation and research we are but begin- 

 ners. But it is well to condescend a little more, and in doing so, 

 in preference to any language of our own, we condense and apply 

 that made use of by Sir Wm. Hamilton when answering similar 

 queries made elsewhere. 



The American Association, then, as an Assoeiation, diflfers in its 

 magnitude and universality from all lesser and more local socie- 

 ties. What they do upon a small scale, it does upon a large ; 

 what others do for Montreal, Toronto, or New York, this does for 

 the whole American continent. Its gigantic arms stretch even 

 to Europe and India ; and the joy with which it welcomes to its 



