536 
rOPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
encouraged the members of the Society to throw off that reserve which 
usually stands in the way of free discussion, and not to dread the results of 
what he humorously characterized as pugilistic sparring with their master, 
in the Science. lie then called upon Mr. James Samuelson, of Liverpool, 
(who was present by invitation), to take part in the proceedings. 
Mr. Samuelson, after expressing his wishes for the success of the Insti- 
tution, drew the attention of its members to the movement which is now 
taking place for the popularization of Science in Great Britain, as exem- 
plified in the Naturalists’ Field Clubs and Science Classes daily springing 
into existence, and warmly recommended the founding of these in con- 
nection with the new Society. Having referred to their success in other 
towns, he said that lie felt sure they -would be attended with great benefit 
in the heart of so large a manufacturing district as that in which they were 
assembled. 
An animated discussion followed. 
Mr. George Haywood (Greave of the Feoffees) gave some account of the 
progress of the Rotherham Mechanics’ Institute, and said that their great 
difficulty lay, not in obtaining pupils, but teachers. He thought this 
difficulty would be removed by the remuneration given by Government to 
teachers of the “ Science Classes” mentioned by Mr. Samuelson. 
Mr. Beale, the second Honorary Secretary, stated that the “ Penny 
Lectures,” at the Midland Institute, in Birmingham, to which reference 
had been made, owed their success to the practical nature of the subjects 
on which Lectures were delivered ; and he recommended that the same 
course should be adopted at Rotherham. 
Several other members followed : and the first Lecture and subsequent 
discussion certainly gave great promise of an energetic movement in the 
right direction, inaugurated by the Rotherham Literary and Scientific 
Institute. 
THE WEST KENT NATURAL HISTORY AND MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY. 
This society reckons amongst its members some of the leading men of 
science in England. Its president is Frederick Currey, Esq., F.R.S. (one 
of the editors of the Natural History Review ), and in the list of its com- 
mittee and members we find the names of Mr. Glaisher, F.R.S., Professor 
Bell, Professor Morris, Rev. J. G. Wood, and others of known repute. 
The Report of the past year is highly satisfactory : the funds of the 
society are flourishing, the members (113) on the increase, and the meet- 
ings interesting and diversified. The excursions are not frequent, there 
having been only one during the whole of last summer. The soirees are 
well attended, and rendered interesting by the exhibition of microscopes, 
of which more than fifty were contributed on one occasion. The most 
interesting feature in the last year’s proceedings of the society was a paper 
read in October by James Glaisher, Esq., one of the vice-presidents, on 
which occasion a very crowded meeting, at which many ladies were pre- 
sent, listened to him with much pleasure as he detailed the particulars of 
his late balloon ascents, made at the suggestion of the British Association, 
and conveyed to his hearers, in a pleasing and popular form, and by the 
aid of excellent diagrams, the scientific results obtained by his aerial 
