Tin Friends s nee. 9 



In connection with hia course of Lectures, Baidinger 

 arranged weekly meetings of his most advanced students. 

 At these meetings the students reported on the work 

 they had accomplished in the special studies they had 

 undertaken in connection with those lectures. Out <>f 

 these informal meetings grew (November 8, L845,) the 

 Bociety of the "Friends ot' Natural Science" (Freunde 

 der Naturwissenschaften), a body which, led by Kaidinger, 

 exerted a most lasting and beneficent effect on the scien- 

 tific organizations in Austria. Until the active operations 

 of the Imperial Academy of Sciences commenced (1847), 

 the Friends i^\' Natural Science formed the representative 

 body of science in Austria. Baidinger's eminent talent 

 of organization, as well as his great popularity, was strik- 

 ingly demonstrated in connection with this association. 

 To secure means for defraying the expenses of publica- 

 tion of the contributions of the Freunde der Xaturwissen- 

 schaften, Haidinger invited to an annual subscription of 

 twentv florin- ($10.00). During the five years that these 

 publications were kept up, he received not less than 

 22,344 florins (about $11,170). These means were used 

 to publish seven volumes (8vo) of "Berichte," and tour 

 volumes (large quarto, with numerous plates,) <>t* 

 "Abhandlungen." The scientific publications re- 

 ceived from Learned societies and men, in exchange for 

 >• publications, composed quite an important library, 

 which, in 1*4!». was transferred to the geological institute, 

 • gether with the remaining volumes of both the Berichte 

 and Abhandlungen. The results of the labors of Bai- 

 dinger in behalf of the association of the Friends ofSci- 

 are surprisingly great Nb1 less than one hundred 

 and fifty scientists, mostly Austrian*, contributed more 

 or less extensively to the contents of these publications; 

 te whi<-h. hitherto, had produced hardly anj contin- 

 uous contributions to the advancement of science, un- 

 folded at once a great activity in all branches of physical 

 2 



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