PART OF A LIFE HISTORY 
3 
Park Street. From the statement, prepared by the Pro- 
visional Committee, and read at this meeting, I will now 
quote a few paragraphs : “ The present movement would 
appear to be the most opportune for a brief statement of 
the principles and plan of action by which the provisional 
committee were guided in their attempt to form and 
model this Society. For though their principles and 
plans are necessarily to be found embodied in the rules 
about to be proposed for adoption, yet a less formal state- 
ment of them will doubtless facilitate that mutual under- 
standing and unity of purpose so necessary to the pros- 
perous commencement and successful working of the 
Society. Moreover, as several Societies are already in 
operation and in connexion with the Philosophical Insti- 
tution, it may no-t appear out of place to explain briefly 
the aim and character of this our Naturalists’ Society, 
and to show that it is distinct alike in plan, purpose, and 
proposed organization from any of the other Societies 
at present existing here.” 
“ And, firstly, we claim for this Society a wider sphere 
of operation than that which any single subject or depart- 
ment of science could fill. Our aim and object is to in- 
clude every branch of Science that finds culture amongst 
us, and every worker resident in the neighbourhood as 
our associate, or — if too far from our locality to be an 
associate — as our correspondent. Too long has our city 
been denied the reputation of being a centre of science for 
the West of England, and the need is urgent that the 
valuable but scattered labours of those amongst us who 
are engaged in Scientific occupations should be concen- 
trated and displayed in aggregate form and strength, and 
that our public should reap the full harvest, and not be 
content with an occasional gleaning.” 
“We desire to stand upon the largest possible basis, to 
combine the efforts of many observers, to unite in one 
