tunity of contributing so materially to its prosperity ; and, as 

 the friends of the best interests of the community, you willbe 

 anxious to promote, by every means in your power, the 

 efficacy of this admirable expedient for ameliorating the 

 character and condition of our countrymen, — which, in its 

 local operation, promises the most beneficial results, to the 

 immediate objects of it, by raising them to a higher sphere 

 of intellectual illumination, and by a necessary consequence 

 of social happiness and moral respectability, and to our 

 Society by a salutary reaction, awakening those more favoured 

 by fortune to improve the scientific advantages which it holds 

 out, that they may rise in corresponding advances with the 

 progressive ascent of the public mind, and thus retain the 

 same high position in relation to knowledge, which, by the 

 allotments of Providence, they occupy in reference to the 

 external circumstances of society. 



The Meteorological Observations have been continued, 

 under the regular and accurate management of their former 

 registrar. The results being regularly recorded and pub- 

 lished every month in the local journals, are accessible not 

 only to the Society, but to the public. They have abeady 

 suggested some questions of curious and useful speculation ; 

 and, if continued some years, especially in conjunction with 

 similar contemporaneous observations in other places, may 

 furnish a solution of several important meteorological 

 problems. 



In reference to the Library, your Council have it not in 

 their power to adopt the language of congratulation. That 

 important feature of your institution still languishes for want 

 of adequate funds. It is, however, hoped, that if the pro- 

 jected additional erection be effected, with the proposed alter- 

 ation in the interior arrangement of the building, by which 

 the Library may be placed on the ground floor, and opened 

 in the evenings, it will assume a greater prominence as a 

 part of your establishment, and invite more extensive sup- 

 port than it has hitherto received. 



