Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-05-18

accept the terms offered. DuNernOlS was asked
to call in the evening. In the afternoon an un-
Outstanding was reached with Theirs and when
puvernois came in the evening he was told that
treaty had just been signed with the leaders
of the republic. Thus Napoleon threw away his
chance, such as it was. That this story was
told by Bismarck the Trbune's correspondent
asserts. 1t is perhaps as probable thar its
statements are true as that they are correctly re-
ported.
THE AMERICAN ORIENTAL SOCIETY held
its annual meeting in Boston yesterday. Presi-
dent Woolsey having peremptorily declined re-
election to the presidency of the society," Prof.
Hadley was elected president With this ex-
ception, the old officers were all reelected In
the afternoon and evening, the sessions were
held at the house Of E. S, Tobey, Esq, by invi-
tation; and, in the evening, there was a social
entertainment, a large number of gentlemen
and ladies having been invited to meet the gent
lemen Of the society who attended the meeting.
After the preliminary business of the meeting,
including the appointment of committee to
nominate officers for the ensuing year, had been
disposed of, Professor Whitney read the cores
pondence of the last six months, most of which
being from missionaries and other gentlemen
living in various parts OF the East, was extreme
ly interesting Rev. Mr.. Fairbanks made an
oral Communication on the geology and ma
tural history of India. Prof. j. ID. Whitney, of
California, made similar communication, Civ
ing summary of Baron Rchthofen's research
es in China and Japan. Prof. W. D. Whitney
read review of Hangs recent speculations on
Sanskrit accent, calling in question some of
these speculations.
In the afternoon, after the concluding portion
of the correspondence had been read, Mr. John
D. Baldwin of Worcester read paper on the
problem of archaeology presented by certain
antiquities, identical in purely conventional
features, which exist in India and Western
Europe, and in all the countries between them,
by way of the Mediterranean-sueh as cairns,
kistvaens, cromlechs, stone circles and the like.
Prof. D. c. Gilman made an oral commuuica-
ton relative TO recent explorations in Jerusa-
lem and Palestine and exhibited photographs
of some of the old remains in that region. And
Mr.. James B. Greenough read a review of Prof.
Delbruck on the subjunctive and optative
moods in Greek. Other communications were
presented in the evening, after the close of our
report.
The English papers are beginning to inquire
whether frogs are within the benevolent opera
ton of the statute for the prevention of cruelty
to animals. DIR. VIM Rutherford lectured late
ly in London on experimental physiology and
illustrated his subject by the Vivisection of a
frog. DR.. Rutherford demonstrated that the
frog has sensitiveness exceeding that of most
creatures, and degree of intelligence by no
means despicable. This appeared by the in
genious way in which the wretched little victim
of scientific curiosity, mangled and tortured
with strong acid, used its legs to rub off the
burning drop from the suffering part. DR..
Rutherford appeared TO enjoy the experiment,
and the frog ought to have been charmed at hav-
ing his claims to a high rank among the ami
NAL creation for sensitiveness and intelligence
so admirably demonstrated but such is the per-
Versity of this animals moral nature, that he
gave no signs of satisfaction at the comparative
ly high organization established for his race, nor
at the importance of his own contributions to
science. If he could have spoken and had the
advantage of a slight acquaintance with litera-
ture he would no doubt have addressed the
doctor in the language attributed to one of lis
family in the well known fable. Nobler animals
than the frog have been subjected TO vivisection
and the practice is perhaps justifable in the in
terest of anatomical and physiological science,
bot those who have no ambition to be learned in
that direction, may congratulate themselves that
there is no occasion for them to witness such
painful exhibitions.