40 Editors’ Table. [January, © 
was done. The president was, by no means, clear of complicity — 
in these proceedings, which, after the lapse of two years, receive 
the emphatic condemnation of the academy by a vote in the pro- 
portion of two and a-half to one. In the meantime the new by- 
laws not only remained a dead letter, but additional changes were ~ 
made which completely nullified them. The most important of 
these, by excluding the prospective professors from the council, — 
rendered the positions untenable by men who value the pros- 
perity of the academy. But this was simply a first step in the 
development of a new policy of the president’s own conception, — 
and for which he should have full credit, as expressed by himself. — 
Dr. Ruschenberger has stated verbally, that it was his opinion — 
that the council of the academy would be better constituted with- d 
out the membership of the specialists. He has also maintained, a 
council, because it is the duty of that body to “ direct the pro- — 4 
fessors when to lecture, where to lecture, and what to lecture | 
He is credited with saying, that no “high science” can — 
be looked for from such an institution, as it is a kind of hee a 
school, etc., etc. A 
We have here at last the opposition to the new organization į 4 
bape tt which we think to be a desirable consummation. Is — 
“ Academy.” to be an academy of original research in — 
he sciences, or, shall we say, a trustee school, which will toler- — 
lecture, and what they shall lecture about.” That is what the — 
scheme of Dr. Ruschenberger amounts to, only substitute for 
priests and nobles a collection of generally worthy gentle 
who know more of everything else than of science and its n ; 
That this scheme is in entire antagonism to the intention a the — 
founders, whose object was original research, is sufficiently clear. a 
and respectably signed and laid before the council, in hopes 
its adoption. Among the signers may be mentioned the names of 
Leidy, Cope, Ryder, Dercum, Brown and Parker, well known i 
