ADDRESS TO THE CHESTER COUNTY CABINET OF natural Sctttrce, AT THE ORGANIZATION OF THE SOCIETY, ON THE 18TH OF MARCH, 1826. BY Witt. DARLINGTON, HI. D. Published by order of the Cabinet. WEST-CHESTER, Pa. PRINTED BV SIMEON SIEGFRIED. 1826. OFFICERS OF THE CABINET, FOR 1820. PRESIDENT, WILLIAM DARLINGTON, M- D. „. p .. , 5 Hon. ISAAC DARLINGTON, Vice Presidents, | WILLIAM JACKSON Corresponding Secretary, JOHN W- TOWNSEND, Esq. Recording Sec. and Treasurer, DAVID TOWN SEN O, Esq. CHENRYH VAN AMRINGE, Esq. Curators, 3 ISAAC THOMAS, MD _ . - 2 ABRAHAM MARSHALL, jr. X*q. DONATIONS TO THE MUSEUM. By Miss Mira Sharpies, Philadelphia, Specimens of Plants Samuel Gummere, Burlington, ' John T. Sharpies, M. D. Philadelphia, <">■ W]. . William Jackson, Specimens of Miner ah Jacob Peiice, Philadelphia, j ' Daniel Buckwalter, Esq. °y Townsead Haines, Esq. c,°' M>s C Diliineham, do. Miv. ?.r .!:; Mi'ner, do. Miss Hannah Sharpies, do. Miss Eliz. Hemphill, do. Miss Mary Hoopes, do- James A. Hemphill, do. Joel B. Miller, Bel. County, do. Abr's'm Marshall, jr. Esq. °"°. H. H. Van Amringe, Esq. do. Isaac Thomas, M. D. do. John Roberts, do. Hon. Isaac Darlington, do. Lewis W. Williams, do. John W Townsend, Esq. do. Wm. H Gillingham, M-D. do. Gen. John W Cuningham, no. Townsend Lamborn, Esq. do. Samuel Johnson, do. Gibbons Gray, do. David Dickey, Esq do. JVilmer Worthingion, M. D. do. )r. Effinger Happersett, do. John Hall, do. jHon. Samuel D. Franks, Harrisburg, do- Thomas S- Bell, Esq. do. Davi-.l Parke, do. Wm. Darlington, M. D. do. and also a copy of Florula Cestrica. ADDRESS. Gentlemen, Although but ill qualified for the task which you have assigned me,—and interrupt- ed, as I have repeatedly been, since my appoint- ment, by an attention to other, and indispensible duties,—yet it is with unfeigned pleasure that I approach the subject committed to me, and attempt a hasty sketch of what I conceive to be the leading objects connected with our Association. Having long been impressed with a sense of the importance of Natural Science, in promoting the welfare, and enhancing the character of our species,—and hav- ing, for a number of years, found the cultivation of one of its branches to be a source of the purest delight of which my own mind was susceptible,— I cannot conceal the gratification which I experi- ence, on witnessing the laudable spirit with which you have embarked in the study of Nature; and the cheering auspices under which our Society has been instituted. It is a pleasing circumstance, amid the arduous and perplexing duties of our respective vocations, and the turmoils inseparable from our condition in society, that there is a common object to which we can all occasionally turn, as with one heart, to find relief from the ruder ores of the world—and in- dulge in a recreation which is calculated at once to promote our usefulness as Citizen-*—to chasten our affections—and elevate our intellectual char- acter as Men. That object is the Study of Na- ture—an acquaintance with her various produc- tions, founded on scientific principles, by which we may be enabled to comprehend and appreciate t the wisdom of their structure, the harmony of their arrangement, the laws by which they arc SP™^ and the properties with which they ha£ tQ dowed by a beneficent Creator. 1 ncsU^, the at. aver, that no pursuit has ever 7«°*ffi*to enlarge tention of Man, more happily_cacu;Uted,t ^ his mind,—to wean and punt} it uom[t ^ tQ * t sions and grovelling views,—or to exa ^ conceptions of the power and go??0*5.8*,., nf the ty, than a rational and philosophical study ot the objects of Natural Science. But it is not merely for its intellectual «intlI mor al advantages, that this Science is ^titled to our regard, and deserving of cultivation. A portion oHt. is indispensible to the success of n>anyo most important practical operations,—especiauy, of those connected with Agriculture, and the use- ful arts. We are obliged continually to draw horn this fountain, much of the information which is necessary to constitute a decent share ot intelli- gence in the common concerns of lite: ana the question so often asked,-" of what use is such knowledge to the man of business?" evinces a de- plorable deficiency in those who seriously propound it. It is not pretended that it is necessary tor ev- ery one to pursue the various branches of this, more than of any other science, to their minutest rami- fications. That is an undertaking, interesting in- deed, and often attended with important results, —but which is adapted only to the condition ot persons of leisure. Yet I contend that the ele- mentarv principles of Natural knowledge are not only accessible to every man, of ordinary capacity, —but that they are in a high degree subsidiary to all his most valuable temporal pursuits: for the principal business of this life is with the natural productions which the Creator has distributed around us—and surely it must be of some impor- A tance to usr that we should be correctly acquaint- ed with then. They are the subjects of all our practical opera- tions. To comprehend their true character—to avail ourselves of their valuable properties, and obviate, or counteract their pernicious tendencies,. —is the very end and aim of all our labors. And what is this but a definition of the science of which 1 am speaking? This science has for its object all created products of which man can take cognizance by his senses. It comprizes a knowledge of their distinctive characters,—their relations to each oth- er,—and their capabilities to contribute to the en- joyments of life. Can it, then, be alleged that there is no utility in such knowledge? Where is the pursuit so lofty, or the occupation so humble, that it does not, either directly or indirectly, draw largely upon our Science for the means of success? What useful business is so abstracted from mate- riality, that it has no connection witli either the Mineral, the Vegetable, or the Animal kingdom? Shall the suggestion be listened to, in this a^e and- country, that natural knowledge is an useless and frivolous acquisition? or that it is beneath the dig- nity of Man to make himself acquainted with the works which God has made-? I trust not. I am sure it will not within the pale of this Society. But it is alleged that the science is abstruse, and almost unattainable, by reason of the technical dif- ficulties thrown in the way by (hose who have jtreated of it. This is an objection which, as in many other instance?, vanishes in great measure as we approach the subject. It is true that the science has been somewhat oppressed with the technical lumber of erudite Svvter.i-maker?. \;ho, in the exercise of their inge- 6 nuitv, not unfrequently wander from the beaten track, and sometimes lose sight of pract cal;advan tages: But the evil has been magnified bytnos. wlto seek to Palliate their J^-J^Sd ah t crying the labors ot the learneu. x v mischiefs complained of, from the nrojecof ci- entific reformers, there has resulted much good from their speculations and researches. Neff views have been obtained, and improved methodg devised for facilitating the acquisition ot knovl- ed-e. The denunciation of Systems, and Aomen- clature, as obstacles in the high way of science, frequently springs from the want of a just concep- tion of their value. It is admitted that they are onlv the implements of Learning, and not the ulti- mate object of our pursuit; but I apprehend that without a skilful acquaintance with those imple- ments, and the modes of using them, the work it- self would make a sorry figure. Instead of lucid order, and a language of precise and definite mean- ing, we should witness all the confusion and un- certainty which inevitably result from imperfect views, and from the use of terms of which the sig- nifications vary with every neighborhood. There must be method, and nomenclature, in every art and science. Every business has its idioms—eve- ry artist has his peculiar phrases, to designate the apparatus, and processes, of his occupation. The most illiterate ploughman, with all his aversion to technicalities, talks of his Clavis, and his Swingle- tree, &c. and scarcely disguises his contempt for those who are ignorant of the meaning of his terms! Then surely it will not be denied that the various objects in nature should each have a significant and well defined name. To answer the purpose, it must be a name, too, which has not been appro- priated to any other object. i Hence we may perceive the difficulties which Naturalists had to encounter, in framing a No- menclature adapted to popular apprehension. To form a technical language from the vernacular tongue, which should be. intelligible to all nations, —or even exempt from confusion among their own people,—was obviously impracticable. But hap- pily, the Classic stores of antiquity presented a rich and ample fund, on which they might draw for the use of the Whole s'cientific world, without the fear of exhaustion. A nomenclature has been con- structed which, doubtless, appears formidable at first view ; but it ought never to be regarded as a mere mass of names. The learning of a name should invariably be simultaneous with a practical knowledge of the object to which it is applied. In that way, it is not only acquired without effort,—but the mind takes an interest in the attainment. The moment we have a conception of the characters which identify an .object, we feel the want of a name to associate tyithit: And thus it is, that terms and defini- tions, applicable to new objects, are never deemed useless, or burthensome, by those who are enlarging the boundaries of their know- ledge. What should we think of the sagacity of a stranger, who, desirous to become acquaint- ed with the inhabitants of a large City, would commence his undertaking by committing to memory the contents of the Directory? The ab- surdity of such a mode is palpable : and yet, if he went to work rationally, and extended his person- al acquaintance with the citizens, he would soon feel the necessity of names, and perceive the utility of the book referred to. Just so it is tfith the various objects in nature. It is upon similar principles that nomenclature isJ benefi. fbl^he progress ^^ffi£ tTan\t§S^^^ mfnd with a mass of names and technicality abstracted from a clear conception of thob. iects to which they belong. I have been led fnto these cursory remarks, in vindication of Se general merits of our Science from a kno^ ledge that theYe are still some who pro scribe■.* as being amongst the frivolous and unprofitable nursuite of the idle and visionary—or who find fault with the technical difficulties which pre- sent themselves at the threshold of the study. I am sensible, however, that those prejudices •are rapidly departing from the minds of the in- telli°-ent and thinking portion of the communi- ty °Let us hope that a final period will speed- ily be put to them, by the diffusion of rational information: and that the Elements of Miner- alo°y, Botany, and Zoology, will ere long be considered an indispensible branch of educa- tion, in all our Schools- When I witness the zeal' and interest in the cause, manifested by the members of this Cabinet, I cannot but flat- ter myself that it will prove to be the punctum saliens of Natural Science, in our County,- whence a taste for such studies will be commu- nicated to every ingenuous youth within its borders. We have associated for the purpose of deyob ing a portion of our leisure to the acquisition 9 and promotion of Natural Knowledge. Our primary object is to collect the materials for a complete history of the natural productions of the County in which we live. By the forma- tion of a Museum, in this place, we may hope to possess Specimens of every such production; accompanied by an accurate notice of their lo- calities, characters, and such other information as may be interesting. We cannot doubt the willingness of our intelligent fellow citizens, ^generally, to aid us in the laudable undertaking; and that their contributions of specimens, from the various parts of the County, will be numer- ous and valuable.—With a complete collection of our Minerals, duly arranged, and a geologi- cal exploration of the County, an interesting chart of this region may be formed, which will exhibit at one view the character of the country, and the distribution of its mineral treasures. By forming an Herbarium, which shall con- tain specimens of all our vegetable productions, we can not only contribute our quota towards the completion of an American Fora, whenever some master hand shall undertake to arrange the materials,—but we may, in the mean time, ,by exchanges with Botanists of other districts, mrich our collections, and extend our knowl- edge of the plants of the United States, with •omparatively tiifling labor or expense. The same remark may also be applied to our Min- eral collections. A more precise knowledge than we now pos- sess, of the Animals of our County, would also oe interesting. Although many of those which originally inhabited our woods have gone, with he red man of the forest, never to return,—and )thers are daily becoming more rare; yet it 10 would be satisfactory to know what, and ho* many, still remain. A complete catalogue of the Fishes which inhabit the waters oi Chester County would, of itself, be a gratifying acqm. sition. An accurate knowledge of our Insect* —more especially those which commit such ravages among the products of our iarms and gardens,- is a most desirable object. My Jim, its forbid me to enlarge upon the many inter- esting considerations connected with these top. ics : but I waive the attempt the more willing. ly, as I know you are familiar with the most of them. Did time permit, I could expatiate in detail upon the benefits afforded by Natural Scienetj in exploding vulgar errors—expanding the mind, and fortifying it against the devices of knavish impostors, who are always on the watch to take advantage of ignorance and credulity, For want of this knowledge, worthy citizens have often been subjected to the grossest impo* sition. They have been led, by designing ad- venturers, to incur great expenses in searching for mineral treasures, in regions where a moder- ate acquaintance with Geology would have taught them it was in vain to look. An igno- rance of Mineralogy has likewise led to many absurd expenditures in quest of the precious me- tals. It is indeed humiliating to reflect on the frauds which are practised upon worthy men, who become a prey to speculating Empirics, from the sheer want of a little elementary knowledge of Natural History. A destitutes of Botanical information is also a disadvantage in the practical pursuits of life ; and often gives rise to, or favors the propagation of, the most absurd and ridiculous notions. There are many plants which it is always desirable to be able rt to recognize with certainty,— whether they be valuable or pernicious ;—and yet serious mis- takes are very frequently made. Active poi- sons have been mistaken for esculent vegeta- bles ; and the error attended with fatal results. Even some of the common obnoxious weeds, which it is so desirable to extirpate from our farms, are unknown to many agriculturists. I have seen an industrious farmer who was anx- ious to rid his premises of that notorious pest, the Ox-eye Daisy, but, from his utter igno- rance of the plant, was directing all his ener- gies against one of a totally distinct, and com- paratively harmless, character. Such practical blunders, and defective information, touching the immediate objects of their profession, are any thing but creditable to American Agricul- turists, in this enlightened age. If there be those who do not choose to inform themselves beyond the manual operations of the field and the barnyard, it is at least due to the future good standing of their children, in an intelligent community, that the youths should have some chance to escape from the chrysalis condition of darkness and prejudice. But there are other, and still more disrepu- table errors, growing out of an ignorance of the Natural History of Plants. We have all seen respectable men some of them the owners and cultivators of valuable farms who were yet so little acquainted with the laws of Nature as to believe that plants are often converted, during growth, into others of a distinct kind, or genus. A farmer in this unfortunate state of mind, can of course take but little interest in procuring clean seed for sowing his fields, if the best of it is subject to such untoward pranks as that! 12 J the vulgar error of the transmutation.of Jheat into HroLs, or Cheat, is ^^Ls I Nay, there are some so strangeiy cr to imagine (I will not d.^ the name of bel,rf,) thfJ/^^L of a differ- often changed into a pl^ not onJ whony dis. j cnt genus, but of a remote da**,-ana y | tinct in all its natural botanical charade™- I ded without delay. , . , There is another subject connected with our Institution, which, in my estimation, ought likewise to command our attention. I mean a collection of Mmrraphiral AWicm of those Citizens of Chester, who have heretofore de- voted their time and talents to the promoM of our favorite Science. Although the Study of Nature, hitherto, has not prevailed exten- sively in cnfr County, we shall find that we have abundant reason to be proud of the char- acter and attainments of our Marsiialls, our Baldwin, our Jackson, and other estimable predecessors in the walks which we have se- lected for our recreation and instruction. A faithful sketch of the lives and labors of those worthies, who have left us the fruits of their industry, and the example of their virtues,- will be at once an appropriate tribute to the memory of departed merit, and an honorable evidence of the correct taste, and feelings, of an Association emulous of th^ir laudable career