bers gave some slight expectation of compliance with 

 the wish of the Council, but almost all the replies 

 contained refusals, grounded on distrust of their own 

 abilities, want of leisure, or similar reasons, which most 

 of those who in the present or in former years have 

 been prevailed on by their good will to the Society 

 to overcome them, know to be as fully applicable to 

 themselves as to those who on this occasion have 

 suffered them to prevail. 



Accordingly, the list of Papers written by mem- 

 bers of the Society presents almost the same names 

 which have appeared, some of them very frequently, 

 in former years. 



There are, however, one or two exceptions, and 

 the Council anticipate cordial and effectual assistance 

 from some who have thus, for the first time, entered 

 on the service of the Society. 



Whether the attempt to induce more general 

 activity in this respect by individual request for a 

 paper be repeated by their successors or not, the 

 Council would impress upon every member the im- 

 portance of taking a share in this description of 

 service; not only will those who have in the early 

 stages of the Society's existence been frequent con- 

 tributors, be removed by death or change of residence, 

 but in a few years advancing age must lessen in some 

 of those who remain, the capability of active exertion 

 on behalf of the Society, though their real interest in 

 its welfare may remain undiminished. 



It was feared at one period that the Offices in the 

 Society were too much confined to the same indivi- 

 duals, and an attempt was made to compel a partial 



