11895.) Editor’s Table. 1143 
Most of the large cities of the United States have an “Academy of 
“Sciences,” or its equivalent, and -it is largely with reference to the 
prosperity of those bodies that discussions such as we have referred to 
‘above is heard. Many of the members want them to be what they call 
popular, which, in its best sense, means that they wish for large audi- 
‘ences at the meetings. Now, if what we have said above is true, this 
object cannot be attained, unless the Academy abandons its real object, 
ithe advancement of scientific knowledge by original research. This is 
the primary object of Academies of Science in all countries, and if they 
‘neglect it, they lose their identity, since the facilities for the distribu- 
‘tion of knowledge are everywhere relatively abundant. When the’ 
Academy of Science becomes a distributor of knowledge only, it 
-abandons its important proper function, and becomes comparatively a 
nonentity. Let us hope that Academies of Science in America will not 
‘follow the course of the Academies of Music, which are, in Europe, 
-educational and critical, in America, mere theaters. 
_ The measures adopted by Academies of Science in the United States 
‘to make themselves popular and therefore “successful,” are often 
‘highly amusing. The usual method is to elect some man president 
‘who is rich but unknown to science ; since, in the minds of some people, 
money is the source of the sciences and the arts. Men of the same 
type are also often elected to other responsible positions in these socie- 
‘ties for similar reasons. We have watched this mode of attacking the 
problem for many years, and have never known it to be successful. In 
the case of the Philadelphia Academy, it did, on one- occasion, entail a 
loss of over $12,000 cash capital to the Society. In fact, the reasons why 
this method should not prove successful are not far to seek. The only 
way to make it successful would be tu have a bill of sale of the office 
legally executed, so that the sum agreed on could be collected by pro- 
-cess of law in case of failure to produce the “ consideration ” after the 
election. This the business world understands, whereas it does not 
perceive the cash value of original research. In fact, the election of 
an outsider to rule over them hy a body of experts for a supposed 
‘financial equivalent, is a proceeding not calculated to excite the re- 
‘spect of a rich man or any other kind of man. 
_ A society is, however, fortunate if it escapes without more serious 
injury than a financial disappointment. Men not habituated to the 
‘ways and means of research frequently apply nostrums which do more 
harm than good, and bring the society into deserved contempt. Thusin 
one city the President, who was of the type mentioned, succeeded in 
incorporating into the society a body of photographers, with the result 
