8 
ILLUSTRATIONS OF 
Societies^ and of several others^ we look for in vain ; 
and we have also to deplore an entire neglect of all 
foreign works^ which are so abundantly rich in 
Natural History. It will in itself form a strong 
attraction to cultivated individuals to become mem- 
bers of our newly formed Society, if they find that 
this great blank in the literature of our city is about 
to be filled up ; which in the course of a few years, 
it may be, by judicious measures being adopted. 
Neither is it a small thing that we are about to 
form a Museum, which shall more especially collect 
together all the natural productions of our county 
worthy of being preserved in such a receptacle. No 
doubt, for want of such a receptacle, many valuable 
and curious specimens have been lost, which might 
have given much pleasure and gratification to the 
student of Nature^ — a pleasure the more to be valued 
because it is pure and undebased ; and arises from 
the kind adaptation, by Providence, of the thoughts 
and feelings of man to the interesting objects by 
which he is surrounded. Neither can I avoid here 
remarking how instrumental the formation of Natural 
History Societies in the several counties of England 
and Scotland will be in ministering to the great 
delight that man experiences in contemplating the 
works of his Maker. For, as Dr. Conolly observes, 
" the gradual concentration in County Museums of a 
great part of the valuable collections already made by 
scientific individuals, or which would naturally be 
made in the course of the particular labours of several 
of the sections, would be a great advantage. The 
