254 
MAGAZINE OF SCIENCE AND ART.- 
4. View from a Street in Home. 
5. Bronze Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aure¬ 
lius in the Capitoline LI ill, considered by Michael 
Angelo the finest equestrian statue in the world. 
G. Four Sybils, by Raphael, in the Church of 
Santa Maria della Pace, Pome. 
7. Arch of Constantine in the via Triumphale. 
8. Arch of Titus. 
By Messrs. Freeman. Brothers.—A largo col¬ 
lection of Photographic Views and Portraits. 
Local Photographic Views were also exhibited 
by R. Hunt and w. S. Jovons, Esqrs. 
By the Rev. >V. Scott.—Saussure’s, Daniell’s, 
and Mason's Hygrometers. 
By Professor Smith, M.D. — Connell’s and 
ResnauJt’s Hygrometers ; Marcs’s Solar Watch: 
Electrotype Medallion of Liebig; a bar of 
Aluminum; Coral Moss from New Zealand; a 
fine specimen of Coral from Ocean I., Stereoscope 
and Views. 
By Messrs. Flavellc and Co.—Dent’s Diplei- 
doscope; Saccharometer ; Smith and Beck’s 
Educational Microscope; Negretti and Zambras 
Patent Minimum Thermometer; Conical and 
Cylindrical Anamorphosis and Plates; set of 
Egyptian Stereoscopic Slides. 
By VV. S. Jevons, Esq.—Diagrams shewing the 
-Temperature of the Air at Sydney, for the year 
1850. 
By Messrs. Brush and Macdonnell.—Nicolle 
and Capt’s Patent Gold Racing Watch Tann’s 
Patent Bank Lock; two of Scott's Patent Cabi¬ 
net Stereoscopes, and numerous Stereoscopic 
Views. 
By Charles Moore, Esq-—A Collection, of 
curious Seeds from the South Sea islands, viz.:— 
Entada Pursmtlia.Adamsonia Gregorii; CLlosan- 
tlies Indica; Bigonia, sp.; Pterocarpus; Aleurites 
Trilobata. 
The election of office-bearers then took place 
with the following results Pres dent, Sir W. 
Denison, K.C.B.: Vice-Presidents, Hon. E. D„ 
Thomson, C.B., Rev. W. B. Clarke; Treasurer, 
R. A. A. Morehead, Esq.; Honorary Secretaries] 
Professor Smith, M.D., Captain Ward, R.E.; 
Ordinary Members of Council, Hon.H.G. Douglas, 
M.D., Captain Martin dale, Professor Fell. A. , 
Roberts, Esq., Rev. W. Scott, Professor Woolley. 
This concluded the formal business of the 
meeting. 
Thtf following interesting paper on tlie 
science of Statistics was read at the meet¬ 
ing of the Philosophical Society, held 
December 10, 185G, by Christopher Rol- 
leston, Esq., Registrar-General :— 
“The collection and comparison of facts which illus¬ 
trate the condition of mankind and tend to develop the 
principles by which the progress of society is deter¬ 
mined, form a science which has attained'verv great 
importance, both in society and legislation, not in 
England alone, but throughout Europe. 
44 Li England the diffusion of a spirit of statistical 
investigation has been exceedingly rapid ; and for the 
last quarter ofa century statistics have been actively 
pursued as a science in most of the countries of Europe. 
“All the principal States have their central offices 
of statistics in imitation of that established in England 
in the year 1832, by the late Earl of Auckland, when 
President of the Board of Trade, and confided to Mr. 
Porter, whose earliest labours gave that decided evi- 
I deuce of the value of such a department, which led to 
I the immediate erection of the Bureau de la Statistique 
General de la France. 
“ Belgium, however, can boast of the most complete 
organisation for statistical investigation, in its central 
commission of statistics at Brussels, under the presi¬ 
dency of M. Quetelet, whose name stands first amongst 
the leading statisticians of Europe. 
“ Statistics have thus become parliamentary in Eng¬ 
land, France, and Belgium ; classic and popular in 
Germany, and administrative in all civilised countries; 
indeed, the progress already made in bringing social 
phenomena under mathematical accuracy of observa¬ 
tion has been such as to render the pursuit of statis¬ 
tical inquiries henceforth a necessity of the age* 
Errors as to facts which illustrate the actual condition 
of society are thus daily exploded, and more just data 
are supplied for the exertions of the philanthropist, the 
judgment of the legislator, and the speculations of the 
reasoner—the latter is compelled to amend his conjec¬ 
tures as often as they are irreconcileabla with facts 
newly established by observation, and from this correc¬ 
tion results the suggestion of new problems to be solved 
by more extended observations, upon, which must 
hinge our advancement in that knowledge of human 
interests* in the aggregate, to which it is no longer 
possible to deny the name of science. 
“ Statistics arc defined to be ‘ the observations neces¬ 
sary to the social and moral sciences to which the 
statesman and legislator must resort for the principles 
on which to^ legislate and govern,* and the object of 
statistical science is to consider the results, which they 
produce with the view to determine those principles 
upon which the well-being of society depends. 
“The science of statistics differs from political eco¬ 
nomy, because, although it has the same end in view, 
it does not discuss causes, nor reason upon probable 
effects; it seeks only to collect, arrange, and compare 
that class of facts which alone can form the basis of 
correct conclusions with respect to social and political 
government. 
“ The scope of statistics is also of a very extensive 
nature; they are closely allied to the other sciences, 
and receive contributions from all of them; they are, 
as it were, the link which connects them with the 
practical purposes of life ; they have man in society 
for their subject, and the detection of the influences 
which bear upon his welfare for their ultimate aim. 
“ It is unnecessary to show ho%v even' subject 
relating;to mankind forms a part of statistics, such as 
population, physiology, religion, instruction, literature, 
wealth, production, agriculture, manufactures, com¬ 
merce, finance, government, and, to sum up all, what¬ 
ever relates to the physical, economical, moral, or 
intellectual condition of man—in fact, as all things on 
earth were given to man for liis use, and all things in 
creation were so ordained as to contribute to his advan¬ 
tage and comfort; and as whatever affects man indivi¬ 
dually, affects him also in a state of society, it follows 
that statistics enter more or less into every branch of 
science, mid form that part of each which immediately 
connects it with human interests. 
“ Like other sciences, that of statistics seeks to 
deduce from well established facts certain general 
principles which interest and affect mankind; It nses 
the same instruments of comparison, calculation, and 
deduction but its peculiarity is, that it proceeds wholly 
by the accumulation and comparison ot facts, and does 
not admit any kind of speculation: it aims at truth, 
and advances with its development. 
u The statist employs figures and tabular exhibitions, 
because facts are most briefly and clearly stated in such 
forms, and because he is not satisfied with giving de¬ 
ductions which admit of question, but supplies the 
material which each individual may examine and com¬ 
pare for himself. It is not tr ue that the statist rejects 
all deductions, or that statistics consist merely of 
columns of figures: it is simply required that all con¬ 
clusions shall b* drawn from well attested data, and 
shall admit of mathematical demonstration. 
