NOTES AND ABSTRACTS.
Formation of a Sociological Society. There was held last week, in the rooms of the Royal Statistical Society, a conference to consider the question of the formation ot a society for the promotion of scientific and philosophical studies in sociology. In the unavoidable absence of Mr. Bryce, who had agreed to take the chair, the meeting was presided over by Mr. E. W. Brarook, president-elect of the Economic Section of the British Association. Among those present were : Professors Adamson, Bosanquet, Haddon, Hewins, Geddes, and Carveth Read, Dr. C. M. Douglas, M.P., Mr. H. Samuel, M.P., Dr. J. H. Bridges, Mr. Oscar Browning, Miss Collett, Mr. T. C. Horsfall, Mr. Leonard Hobhouse, Mr. Benjamin Kidd, Mr. C. S. Loch, Dr. R. D. Roberts, Mrs. Sidney Webb, and Mr. J. Martin White.
Approvals of the project to form a sociological society were read from the follow- ing, among others : Professor Alexander, Professor Bain, Professor Bastable, Mr. A. J. Balfour, Mr. F. H. Bradley, Rev. Professor Caldecott, Professor Chapman, Sir John A. Cockburn, Mr. E. Clodd, Rev. Professor E. W. Collins, Mr. A. Emmott, M.P., Rev. Principal Fairbairn, Rev. Professor Flint, Sir W. Foster, Professor Graham, Professor Ingram, Rev. F. B. Jevons, Dr. Scott, Keltic, Professor Ray Lankester, Professor Latta, Master Macdonell, Professor J. S. Mackenzie, Dr. Henry Maudsley, Dr. Leslie Mackenzie, Mr. R. Nevill, K.C., Mr. B. S. Rowntree, Mr. Bertrand Russell, the bishop of Stepney, Mr. M. E. Sadler, Mr. A. Sherwell, Professor James Seth, Professor Sorley, Professor Sully, Professor J. Arthur Thomson, Mr. H. G. Wells, and Dr. Wynn Westcott.
The following letter was read from the prime minister :
" 10 Downing street, Whitehall, S. W., June 26, 1903.
"DEAR SIR: I am obliged to you for your letter of June 24 and its inclosures. I welcome any attempt to organize sociological investigations on a strictly scientific basis. I understand this to be the object of the proposed society, and, if so, I heartily wish it success. " I remain yours faithfully,
"ARTHUR JAMES BALFOUR."
Professor White wrote : "I regard the formation of such a society as very desir- able, and the want of one with an appropriate literary organ as a very serious defect."
On the motion of the chairman, seconded by Dr. C. M. Douglas, M.P., the follow- ing resolution was submitted to the meeting and unanimously adopted : "This meet- ing resolves that a society be formed for the promotion and organization of those studies which are increasingly pursued under the title of sociology."
In support of the resolution the chairman said that any sociological society formed at the present moment would start with the great advantage over the old Social Science Association, in that a body of sociological doctrine had since then been built up by the labor of Spencer and others. But, even apart from that, it was not altogether a disadvantage for societies which had existed for a generation to be dis- solved and reconstituted. The present society would be a revival of the best interests of the old Social Science Association, strengthened by the scientific work which had been done in the interval. He asked those present to very carefully consider the question whether the work that was proposed for the new society was being, or could be, done by any of the existing learned societies. For his part he thought the proposed society had work of its own to do which was not being done at present, and he asked the meeting to support this conclusion.
Dr. Douglas, M.P., stated his conviction of the desirability of the formation of the society, both for the encouragement of scientific studies in sociology and also for the diffusion of the scientific spirit in popular thought about political, and social phe- nomena. He referred to his connection with a sociological society which formerly existed in Edinburgh a city which Professor Geddes had made a home of sociology.
The resolution was supported by Dr. Bridges, Professor Haddon, Professor
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