288 Proceedings of the Royal Society 
they have no commensurate influence on the Legislature. The 
interests of commerce, manufactures, agriculture, railways, and 
the clerical, legal, naval, and military professions are represented 
by strong parties in Parliament, yet there are very few members 
of either House who can be said to represent the high interests of 
science. It is therefore urged that no time should be lost in 
creating an organisation, which will enable those interested in the 
progress of science to use their proper influence, and when the 
time arrives, to press their legitimate claims upon the Legislature.” 
A programme has been widely circulated for the purpose of ascer- 
taining how far the proposals contained in it meet with the 
support of men cultivating all branches of science, and living in 
all parts of the country. Professor Eoscoe adds, that “the pre- 
sent moment appears to be well suited for action in this matter, 
as the establishment of a union amongst men of science must 
strengthen the hands of the Eoyal Commission now considering 
the whole subject of State aid to science.” 
The movement thus commenced, and going on in various quar- 
ters for co-operation and confederation, deserves our consideration. 
We see the important purposes which may be thereby attained, 
not only by facilitating important physical investigations, but also 
by giving to scientific bodies a greater pow T er and influence in the 
country to which they are well entitled. 
If it be asked how co-operation and confederation can best be 
secured, I may perhaps be told that it will be enough to trust 
to sympathy with each other, created by the pursuit of common 
objects, and that no special or formal alliance is necessary. As 
among all the branches of human knowledge relationship prevails, 
so it is said there is naturally and unavoidably a similar connec- 
tion among societies. Hut the well-known Roman aphorism 
which speaks of this relationship, speaks also of a bond to cement 
it, “ Omnes artes quae ad humanitatem pertinent, habent com- 
mune vinculum, et quasi cognatione quadem inter se continentur.” 
The “commune vinculum” here referred to, is, I think, desir- 
able ; and that bond may fitly be constituted by a central society, 
which, embracing in its own programme of operations various 
sciences, holds out a hand of welcome and co-operation to other 
societies, severally devoted to some one of these sciences. The 
