Our Retrospect. 



117 



pearian Criticism," " Bibliomania," " Heraldry in England and 

 America," « Greek Theory of the State," and the " Albany Lancaster 

 School " adorn our pages with much profitable thought. Last to be 

 here mentioned but not least, is a well-considered article upon the 

 Albany Institute by one of our then oldest members, perhaps the 

 most distinguished of all in length of public service, and since 

 deceased. 



With this short review, you will see that there is little difference 

 between the character of our first and last volumes; except that, with 

 the increase of subjects of interest as the world has grown older, our con- 

 tributions have become more numerous. As in the first volume, they are 

 principally upon scientific topics or. at least, based upon scientific fact. 

 This is as it should be, for our main object must be the preservation of 

 ideas, and there can be no ideas so worthy of being stored away for the 

 future as those relating to scientific uses. We must remember, as the 

 men who have made our preceding volumes remembered, that we are 

 not a debating society, or a close corporation for mutual improvement 

 forgetful of the outer world, or an association where men meet merely 

 to read well-written essays to each other, caring for nothing beyond 

 the applause which excellence in composition generally insures. We 

 have before us the duty of rescuing from impending forgetfulness 

 whatever is useful in art or science, whether in invention or discovery, 

 and of giviug it a permanent home, so that, if the world is not yet 

 ready to receive it, the power to adapt and use it for good will remain 

 whenever the proper time to do so shall come. For this, we have our 

 own district from which to glean; a district not accurately to be 

 bounded, but which may be defined by a radius longer or shorter, as it 

 may reach in either direction until it meets the circumference of other 

 neighboring districts similarly surrounded by kindred associations. 

 Beyond this we are not forbidden to go, for our labors must not too 

 rigidly be circumscribed; but while searching through other lands 

 may be our pleasure and of value, it must be understood that gleaning 

 from our own district is our most immediate duty, as, if we neglect 

 it, there is no other organization to take our place. It is for us for 

 instance to note the local tornado that cuts a path through our for- 

 ests, with more attention than the earthquake that may swallow up a 

 foreign city, and which will certainly there be described by other as- 

 sociations. And we are especially favored for such a duty from having 

 m our midst most able professors in every department of science; not 

 merely amateurs in the good work, but men of trained talent, recognized 

 b .T the State and brought here from different quarters, so that the seal of 

 the State's emploj ment and approbation may render those services valid 



