ship and support. Moreover, from the nature of their objects they are more completely cut off from public interest, sympathy, and patronage, than any other societies. In speaking of the meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, held at Buffalo last August, we called attention to the duty of scientific men to take the public more into the account in the organization of their work, and we showed how that might be done without any detriment to the proper objects which the convention had before it. Of all the subjects that are now promoted by social combinations, that of the diffusion of science owes the least to such agencies. The work of disseminating scientific knowledge among the people goes slowly on, by means of the press, by schools, and by lectures; but it would be much more vigorously prosecuted if it were made a distinctive and prominent object, either in associations expressly formed for the purpose, or in societies that combine different lines of effort in the general purpose of popular instruction. It is gratifying to note the multiplication of scientific academies in the leading cities of the country, which bring together observers and investigators, and call out original contributions that prove to be valuable and worthy of publication in an annual volume of "Transactions." But such associations can only be sustained at the larger centres of population, and even there they must struggle hard to maintain their existence. But if these, bodies embraced within their plans, as a leading ana permanent object, the diffusion of science through the community and the scattering of valuable information upon practical subjects, there can be little doubt that they would be better sustained, both by attendance at their meetings and by the contribution of funds to carry on their operations. Moreover, in the smaller cities and towns, where the higher work of science is impracticable from the fewness of its cultivators, societies promotive of popular scientific education might be created that would do efficient and valuable service. Scientific libraries might be collected, scientific essays contributed, and followed by instructive discussions, and courses of lectures secured from competent men on subjects that would enlist the attention and secure the liberal patronage of the public. In every town of five or ten thousand inhabitants a dozen active, thoughtful, and spirited men might be found, competent to organize and manage such a society, that would effect much good in the locality; and, if adjacent towns did the same thing, much might be gained in various ways by coöperation. Only one thing is needed to achieve this result, and that is, a hearty interest and some enthusiasm in the enterprise on the part of a few individuals to carry it on.
We by no means claim that such an association should be exclusively scientific in its aims. It might embrace literature, local history, political economy, and various social questions, among its objects. We only urge that the popular diffusion of scientific information should be an essential element and a clearly-recognized object. From such modest and perhaps ill-defined beginnings valuable and lasting institutions have often arisen. We have met with some remarks in a paper on the "Historical Societies of the United States," contributed to the Report of the Bureau of Education in Washington by Dr. Henry II. Holmes, Librarian of the New York State Library at Albany, which are so suggestive in relation to this subject that we take the liberty of quoting them:
"To these observations on the question of enlarged plans for local societies, we venture to subjoin the further inquiry, whether most county and town societies might not, with incalculable advantage, combine with
