402 



THE YOUNG NATUKAL1ST. 



who are just turning to the study of 

 nature, have not yet learned their alpha- 

 bet, and there advanced subjects, are as 

 much beyond them, as a book in an 

 unknown tongue. In man/ places Soci- 

 eties have be formed with humbler aims, 

 and to beginners these have been perhaps 

 of more value than the others. As the 

 one helps the leaders in science, to still 

 greater discoveries, the other aids the 

 first steps of the mere beginner, while 

 the one is encouraging the bolder 

 pioneers to still further investigation 

 among the yet untrodden mysteries of 

 nature, the other, in fostering a taste 

 for such studies, in helping the young 

 worker over the difficulties that beset 

 his path at the outset, is scarcely doing 

 a less important work. Our special 

 province being with beginners, the 

 humbler class of societies of which we 

 have spoken, are those it is our duty to 

 help forward if we can. No doubt 

 there are many difficulties in the way 

 of their formation that scarcely exist in 

 reference to the others. The want of 

 experience as to how they should be 

 conducted, the want of means to carry 

 them on, the difficulty of making the 

 meetings attractive, are all formidable 

 obstacles. None of them, however, are 

 un surmountable, they all have been 

 overcome before, and can be again, and 

 we venture to submit the following 

 suggestions, some of which may per- 

 haps be of seivice. The first point to 

 consider bears on the question of ex- 

 [ense. Where shall the meetings be 

 held ? Hiring a room would involve 

 considerable outlay, theiefore an ar- 



rangement should be made to avoid 

 this, at all events until the young 

 society is firmly established. This 

 could be done by meeting at the house 

 of one or more of the members. If 

 each member could accommodate a 

 meeting alternately, it would be a great 

 advantage, and would add to the inter- 

 est of each meeting, to which those 

 attending, would only bring specialities 

 for exhibition, the person at whose 

 house the meeting was held, would be 

 able to show his entire collection. Thus 

 all the members would see in turn, all 

 that had been done by the others, while 

 they would have the advantage of ex- 

 hibiting in turn also. It should be a 

 rule, that members should endeavor 

 strictly to carry out, that every one 

 should exhibit at each meeting, some- 

 thing that has not been shown before. 

 This would provide a stimulus during 

 the intervals, as each member would try 

 to take with him, something special ; 

 and thus keep up the attractiveness of 

 the meetings. A small subscription 

 should be fixed which should be low 

 enough for the poorest member to pay 

 and those who could afford more might 

 assist the society by occasionally giving 

 a book, or some other useful or necess- 

 ary requirement. When the society 

 has made fair progress an exhibition 

 should be held, open to the public at a 

 small charge. This, if well managed, 

 would add to the funds, while it would 

 probably be the means of awakeiiin 

 an interest in such studies, and result) 

 in an accession of membership. So| 

 far we have spoken in general terms, 



