59 



pursuits which shed a lustre upon the most refined society, and without 

 which all worldly wealth becomes an incumbrance, and all worldly 

 honour an empty pageant. Your support and countenance have been 

 always cheerfully rendered ; and to these must be attributed the harmony 

 and efficiency which have attended our joint labours. 



With regard to the placing of the Portrait, so ably executed by the 

 distinguished artist of this town, and so kindly presented by you, I beg 

 to leave the matter altogether to your judgment to determine. 



Permit me now to express an earnest hope, that the talent and 

 acquirements which I know to exist amongst you may be kept in active 

 exercise ; and to conclude by exhorting the younger members of your 

 Society to cultivate those pursuits, which will be no incumbrance under 

 the pressure of business or of adverse circumstances, but which will 

 constitute the highest ornament of your prosperous days, and the most 

 delightful companions of your leisure. 



I remain. Gentlemen, 



Your obliged and obedient servant, 

 (Signed) JOS. B. YATES, President. 



Royal Institution, Liverpool, 

 26th January, 1852. 



Moved by Mr. William Rathbone, seconded by Mr. Edward Heath, 

 and carried unanimously, — 



That the thanks of this Meeting be presented to the Portrait Com- 

 mittee, (viz. the Rev. Dr. Hume, Mr. Charles Barber, Mr. Joseph 

 Mayer, and Dr. Thomson,) for the part they have taken in procuring 

 80 valuable and faithful a likeness of the President. 



The following Paper was read by Joseph B. Yates, Esq., F.S.A., &c.. 

 President : — 



ON ANTIENT MANUSCRIPTS, AND THE METHOD OF 

 PREPARING THEM. 



In all the great libraries of this coimtry and of the continent, there 

 exist a considerable number of Antient Manuscripts, forming in fact the 

 most valuable portion of their treasures. By Antient Manuscripts are 

 meant, as the term imports, documents which are inscribed or vs-ritten 

 hy the hand, and not by stamps or types, and which have been conse- 

 quently produced, with few exceptions, prior to the invention of printing 

 in the middle of the fifteenth century. Their value will be appreciated 

 when we reflect that they are the only medium by which we have 

 become accurately acquainted with the maimers, institutions, and 



