accounts and
proceedings is, from the magnitude of its funds, more essential to the
Zoological than to any other society; and it is rather a fearful omen,
that a check was attempted to be given to such inquiries at the last
anniversary meeting. If it is to be a scientific body, the friends of
science should not for an instant tolerate such attempts.

It frequently happens, that gentlemen take an active part in more
than one scientific society: in that case, it may be useful to derive
instruction as to their merits, by observing the success of their
measures in other societies.

The Asiatic Society has, amongst other benefits, caused many valuable
works to be translated, which could not have otherwise been published.

The Horticultural Society has been ridden almost to death, and is
now rousing itself; but its constitution seems to have been somewhat
impaired. There are hopes of its purgation, and ultimate restoration,
notwithstanding a debt of 19,000L., which the Committee of Inquiry have
ascertained to exist. This, after all, will not be without its advantage
to science, if it puts a stop to HOUSE-LISTS, NAMED BY ONE OR TWO
PERSONS,--to making COMPLIMENTARY councillors,--and to auditing the
accounts WITHOUT EXAMINING EVERY ITEM, or to omitting even that form
altogether.

The Medico-Botanical Society suddenly claimed the attention of the
public; its pretensions were great--its assurance unbounded. It speedily
became distinguished, not by its publications or discoveries, but by the
number of princes it enrolled in its list. It is needless now to expose
the extent of its short-lived quackery; but the evil deeds of that
institution will long remain in the impression they have contributed
to confirm throughout Europe, of the character of our scientific
establishments. It would be at once a judicious and a dignified course,
if those lovers of science, who have been so grievously deceived in this
Society, were to enrol upon the latest page of its history its highest
claim to public approbation, and by signing its dissolution, offer the
only atonement in their power to the insulted science of their country.
As with a singular inversion of principle, the society contrived to
render EXPULSION* the highest HONOUR it could confer; so it remains
for it to exemplify, in suicide, the sublimest virtue of which it is
capable. [* They expelled from amongst them a gentleman, of whom it is
but slight praise to say, that he is the firs