10 Prospectus of an Indian 



the savans of every nation should possess to a certain extent, 

 but in India more particularly, from the impossibility of their 

 holding any other kind of intercourse. This would be almost 

 the only privilege which it would be necessary to solicit 

 from the government, and as it would not amount to the 

 general franking of letters, except from one member of 

 the scientific Committee to another, we might hope that an 

 application to the above effect would not be denied longer 

 than the benefit to be derived from it should be clearly proved ; 

 which naturalists can only do at a small sacrifice to them- 

 selves in the first instance in the shape of postage. 



The next step would be to effect an improvement in the cha- 

 racter of communications, and from the examples which would 

 be afforded by the Society, authors would naturally be more 

 careful in their publications, and more zealous in their works ; 

 the effect of which would be a gradual advancement to more 

 finished and carefully digested papers than have as yet be- 

 come frequent in India, in which specific subjects are taken 

 up at the beginning and carried through to the close, with all 

 the information to be had in the country made to bear upon 

 them. For this remark on what should constitute the object 

 of writers, we are indebted to our friend Mr. H. Walker. 

 Let us see now how a spirit and example of this kind would 

 operate. In the first place, those who devote themselves 

 privately to the study of the productions of the country 

 would be brought into communication with each other, and 

 both the government and individuals could refer to their 

 counsel and advice in all matters falling within the province 

 of naturalists to decide. 



In the next place, the labours of many regarding the ap- 

 plication of the sciences to useful purposes would be brought 

 to bear from a focus, and the investigation of minerals, plants, 

 and animals would be conducted with more energy and effect 

 than if left to depend on the isolated exertions of individuals, 

 or mixed up, as at present, with other pursuits with which 

 naturalists have no sort of connection. 



