629 



on behalf of the South Australian Institute, that he has 

 directed many interesting specimens to be collected and for- 

 warded hither, including a complete series of the copper ores 

 of the colony over which His Excellency presides." 



"The Governors believe, that when the Museum is estab- 

 lished many other additions to its contents will be received 

 from abroad, and that many of our own colonists, who are 

 known to possess miniature museums, will be anxious to 

 incorporate them in the public collection." 



In their second report, October, 1858, they acknowledge 

 receipt of the collection presented by Sir George Gray and 

 also the purchase of ''a very interesting and extensive col- 

 lection of shells." 



It will be seen from the tenor of these reports, that the 

 institution at this time in the minds of the Governors v/as 

 almost entirely a mineralogical collection, and very far 

 removed from the Natural History Museum, which was an 

 early objective of the Society. Nevertheless, it indioated a 

 slight advance in the right direction. 



(c' Incorporation with tlie SA. Institute. 



Incorporation of the Philosophical Society with the S.A. 

 Institute was duly effected in October, 1859. The terms, 

 however, were less favourable than the Society had antici- 

 pated. It was to receive certain clerical services from the 

 Institute, but a room for its exclusive use was refused and 

 accommodation was guaranteed for monthly meetings only. 

 For the privileges of incorporation, the Society was to con- 

 tribute one-third of its gross annual income, but the minimum 

 contribution was fixed at £15. In a letter to the Society, 

 of which he was still Secretary, Mr. Clark carefully points 

 out that "the sum required is not so much in the nature of 

 an amount paid away for house rent and clerical services, as. 

 a contribution towards a fund to be expended for the general 

 benefit of all connected with the institution, and in the ex- 

 penditure of which the Society will have a voice." He illus- 

 trated his meaning by the statement that the Governors had 

 already sent to England for a valuable microscope and a pair 

 of 36-in. globes, and that doubtless with accession of funds 

 the stock of philosophical apparatus would be speedily 

 increased. 



It is to be feared that in the years that followed the Society 

 too often lost sight of this statesmanlike view, when the hand 

 of adversity pressed heavily upon it. 



The Society was, of course, now entitled to elect a repre- 

 sentative Governor, and its first choice fell upon B. H. Bab- 

 bage, who was a foundation member and its President from 



