Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-03-18
ss!.NEVCENTIRY CLIR.

s
Notice was given at the monthly
meeting 90 Wednesday of proposed
changes in the bylaws to he con
sidsfdd sat the April meeting. Ii is
desired that vii shall consider these
chsDges and be prepared TO decide
upon them, Any one desiring in
formftion regarding them can drop
questions 70 the question box at the
Current Events Class. where ex-
plupafions will be given.
In place of the guest cards which
have bean required to ADMIT out-of.
town visitors to the monthly meetings.
ii was decided that any member bring
ing with her such a guest, should
write the name and residence of the
visitor on her own visiting card and
present 1t at the door on entering. The
president has the privilege OF granting
10 Invitations only for guests living in
WILMINGTON, and these limitations
must be issued and signed by her.
Following the business OF the meet
Ing. Miss Mira Il. Dock of Harris
burg, Pa, spoke OF "Ths Colonial
Botanists.6 Among them were DR..
John Mitchell OF Virginia. in whose
honor Linnaeus named the Mitchella
rspens, or partridge berry and DR..
Gardsn OF South Carolina, whose name
waB given to the gardenia, and several
others, each of whom had achieved a
European reputation, but whose fame
4 was dwarfed by that of John Bartram
Of Philadelphia, the most scientific
man in America, in the eighteenth
century. He was a hundred years in
advance OF his time, and but for the
Limitations OF his means and surround
ings might have been the greatest
botaDist that has yet lived. Only a
narrow belt of the continent along the
Atlantic coast could be penetrated
without great difficulty and danger from
the Indians. yet he made expeditions
extending from New York State to
Florida, collecting and describing the
fora, and the character of the country.
He correspondsd with men of the
highest distinction 10 Europe, who
recognized bis greatness, and his
clear, unefring judgment. All branches
of natural history Interested him; be
( suggested the interest and importance
Of deep-sea soundings, such as were
afterwards made by the Challenger. -
Tho collection of Indian relics which
be presented to Sir Hans Sloane were
Afterwards given by tho latter to the
British government and formed the
nucleus Of the British Museum. He
taught the art of finding interest and
happiness in the study of the common
, thinga about us of which we are too
generally ignorant. This lack OF
knowledge and rarelessness of OUT
treasures has led to the destruction
of our magnificent forests that will
cost US millions to restore.
In rapid review OF former lecture,
Mr.. Belloc said he had shown us then
material out OF which something was
to be made-the thing that was made
was modern thought. Who made this!
Not one. architect nor after one plan.
Among the multitude of builders were
Diderot and Voltaire, but Jean Jacques
Rousseau, more than any other may be
called the architect, and his book,
1.-THE Social Contract the plan.
There are widely divergent opinions oil
him; bis character has been generally
misunderstood. His life put him il
the catalogue of those whom the world
generally condemns. He Was vaga
bond and poor. In the eighteenth cen,
tury suffering had voice, in the nine
tspth tits. dumb. 1t vas then de
ecribed- BY those who had felt it, nov
20 writer epripgs from the ranks of tn,
poor and knows that which be is de
ecribing. The man who writes of th,
slums was not born there and neye
lived there. but Rousseau smoke from
actual knowledge and experience o
misery. He came from one OF thos,
Huguenot families who we're the back
bone of France. His mother died wbel
he was born; be said that was his frs
misfortune. His father was Eighty
accumulated no wealth, and made D,
friends. Jean jacques was born il
1712, the year before the treaty O
Utrecht, the last in which kings treate,
while their subjects we're left out. Hi
work more than that of any other MAJ
brought about this change. His youtl
was. one long vagabondage. He ha,
bad drawing-room manners, yet hi
personality attracted men and wome
81 RANK and power, and he had conf
ieDtial relations with great personages
After his 30th year he drifted into til
literary set, and under the influence q
Diderot.
Mr.. Belloc discussed philosophical
some Of the theories OF Rousseau, an
recommended his hearers to read eth
Social Contract" in the original,
possible, and also the "Life OF Rous
Beau," by John Morley. A, s.