6 HISTORY of the SOCIETT. 



the diforders of the country during the rebellion in 1 745 ; and 

 no fooner was the public tranquillity re-eftablifhed, than it fuf- 

 fered a fevere lofs by the death of Mr MACLAURIN, whofe 

 comprehenfive genius, and ardour in the purfuits of fcience, pe- 

 culiarly qualified him for conducting the bufinefs of an infti- 

 tution of this nature. The meetings of the Society, however^ 

 were renewed about the year 1752; and the new Secretaries, 

 who were the celebrated Mr DAVID HUME and Dr ALEXANDER 

 MONRO, junior, were directed to arrange and prepare for the 

 prefs fuch papers as were judged worthy of being fubmitted to 

 the public eye. The fir ft volume of the Tranfactions of the Philo- 

 fophical Society of Edinburgh was accordingly publifhed in 1 754, 

 under the title of EJJays and Obfervations, Phvfical and Literary ; 

 the fecond volume was publifhed in 1756, and the third in 

 1771. 



IT has been always obferved, that inftitutions of this kind 

 have their intervals of languor, as well as their periods of bril- 

 liancy and activity. Every afTbciated body muft receive its vi- 

 -gour from a few zealous and fpirited individuals, who find a 

 pleafure in that fpecies of bvifinefs, which, were it left to the 

 care of the members in general, would be often reluctantly 

 fubmitted to, and always negligently executed. The tempora- 

 ry avocations, and, ftill more, the deaths of fuch men, have the 

 molt fenfible effect on the focieties to which they belonged. 

 The principle of activity which animated them, if not utterly 

 extinguilhed, remains long dormant, and a kindred genius is re- 

 quired to call it forth into life. 



FROM caufes of this kind, the Philofbphical Society of Edin- 

 burgh, though its meetings were not altogether difcontinued, 

 nppears to have languilhed for fome time, till about the year 

 1 777, when its meetings became more frequent, and, from the 

 uncommon zeal and diflinguifhed abilities of the late HENRY 

 HOME, Lord KAIMES, at that time elected Prefident of the in- 



ftitution. 



