202 The Ottawa Naturalist. 



annually by which means our library shelves were largely replenished. Since his 

 death we regret, to say, this donation has not been renewed, and as a 

 consequence great care in the management has been necessary lest, in 

 discharging our obligations to our members, serious financial difficulties be met. 



In the City of Montreal, the Natural History Society, which has been in 

 existence for nearly seventy years, has been doing work on very much the same lines 

 as our own societies. It has this great advantage, however, that it has a local 

 habitation as well as a name. It owns a fine building, containing museum, library 

 and lecture hall, which, purchased years ago when property was cheap, has now 

 become a very valuable asset indeed. That society, however, enjoys the further 

 advantage of having an endowment for lecture purposes. In 1837 the Rev. [as. 

 Somerville, of Montreal, at his death left the sum of ^1,000 currency to maintain an 

 annual course of lectures in connection therewith, which should be free to the 

 general public. As a result a special course of six lectures, called after his name, the 

 Somerville course, is delivered each winter, principally upon scientific subjects, which 

 have become a regular feature of the society's work and by their excellence these have 

 secured an average attendance which is highly gratifying to the institution which has 

 the matter in charge. Such an endowed course should be established in our city 

 l hrough the generosity of some of our large-hearted and wealthy citizens, 

 so that the best talent available in this direction might be secured. If, 

 indeed, this result could be accomplished by the Literary and Scientific Society, the 

 advantages to that institution would be very great indeed, and the society instead of 

 being, as at present, largely a reading room and a medium for circulating light 

 literature, would be foremost in the matter of furthering the interests of the highes 1 

 education. Such a c mrse of lectures should be free to the public, and it is to be 

 hoped that before long we shall see arise in our midst a Canadian Carnagie, who, 

 having made a fortune in our city, shall become impressed with the desire to benefit 

 his fellows ; some Ottawa Carnagie who, following the example of the Pittsburg 

 magnate, will erect and endow a magnificent library, music hall, and art building, in 

 which all our societies can find a home; where art exhibitions, conversaziones, lectures, 

 musical recitals, etc., shall be given, whereby such an impetus would be given to the 

 development of a taste for literature, science and art, as would make the name 

 of Canada's fair capital illustrious throughout the entire continent. 



In the meantime, however, our warmest thanks are due to the Principal of the 

 Normal School, Pr. MacCabc, and to the Minister of Kducation for Ontario, for their 

 courtesy and consideration in extending to us, for the present course of lectures, the 

 use of this line hall, and thus enabling us to present our several evening^' entertain" 

 ments in the most favorable manner, not only to our own members but to all 

 interested therein. It is needless to say that all the entertainments and lectures are 

 free of charge and that all the students of the Ottawa Normal School are most 

 cordially invited to be present whenever it is possible for them to do so. 



