150 PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



fine themselves to particular departments. Besides, we all know 

 how difficult it is, even in London, to see the Transactions of foreign 

 bodies, and especially scientific journals ; and we surely, therefore, 

 render a great service to the readers of our Journal, especially to 

 our own countrymen, by serving up to them some of the more choice 

 exotic fruits of the year, — some of the more valuable papers pub- 

 lished in foreign countries ; and by giving such notices of what is 

 going on abroad as must be interesting to every geologist, together 

 with lists of new books and memoirs. While we carefully adhere 

 to our fundamental rule, applicable to this as well as to every other 

 form of our publications, viz. that the Society, as a body, never ex- 

 presses an opinion, I cannot imagine any possible way in which the 

 Miscellaneous Part of the Journal can compromise either the cha- 

 racter or proper dignity of the Society. To show how scrupulous 

 the Council have been in the enforcement of the above rule, I may 

 state, that when it was lately determined that the Journal was to be 

 carried on on our own account, they instructed our Vice-Secretary, 

 the Editor of the Journal, to abstain from the expression of his own, 

 or any other contributor's individual opinion, in any analysis of a 

 book or memoir he may insert in the Journal, lest, by implication, 

 the Society might be understood to pass a judgement. Further, they 

 have thought it advisable, for the same reason, to direct that no ana- 

 lysis of an English work be given, but simply an announcement of 

 its contents. 



I have been induced to make the preceding remarks on the Mis- 

 cellaneous Part of the Journal, because I have heard opinions differ- 

 ing from those on which the Council have acted, expressed by some 

 Fellows of the Society, for whose judgements 1 entertain great re- 

 spect, who have said that it is a great innovation upon established 

 custom, a departure from a sound principle, for a Society to publish, 

 under its authority, anything beyond that which properly belongs to 

 it as an integral part of its own proceedings. As the great purpose 

 of our association is to promote the advancement of geological sci- 

 ence, if a deviation from established custom will further that end, it 

 is, in my opinion, both justifiable and expedient. If we review the 

 history of the Society, we shall find a succession of such innovations 

 upon established usages : the very institution of it was held by the 

 then President of the Royal Society as a dangerous encroachment 

 upon the province of that body ; and under his influence one of our 

 chief founders withdrew. The governments of societies, like the 

 governments of nations, to be wise, must mark the effects and meet 

 the demands of improved and extended knowledge ; although a main 

 prop had been removed, the new structure was not in the least 

 shaken ; its foundations were strengthened, and it has stood firm on 

 that rock ever since; subject only to this change, that, like other 

 rocks, by gradual elevatory movements it now occupies a higher 

 level, to be, I trust, still further uplifted. The cultivators of other 

 departments of science in London, following our example, instituted 

 the Astronomical, the Zoological, the Geographical, and many other 

 societies, all of which have proved that the productive and perfective 



