11 



stances closely connected with each other, which have 

 prevailed, with occasional exceptions, during the past 

 session. These are, a scanty and irregular supply of 

 Papers, and a thin attendance at the Ordinary Meetings. 

 These evils, which if they continue, would portend most 

 unfavourably to the very existence of the Society, 

 mutually aggravate each other. The Rules of the 

 Society direct, that the Council should decide on the 

 fitness of all subjects intended to be discussed at these 

 meetings; this requires their being furnished before- 

 hand with the title of each Paper, and when so furnished 

 they are enabled, by public notices, to make known to 

 those most interested, the particular subject to be 

 treated of. When this is omitted, the company is of 

 course smaller, few comparatively choosing to attend 

 in uncertainty. But if the want of specific notice 

 lessen the attendance, much more does the frequent 

 recurrence of a small audience check the production 

 of Papers; none will read to empty benches, unless 

 when the essay has served, or is intended to serve, 

 some other purpose. This state of things may well 

 alarm the best friends of the Society ; it is induced, in 

 great part, by the bad habit of looking to the Council 

 for the supply of Papers, or to foreign aid ; the reme- 

 dies are beyond the power of any officers ; they rest 

 with the Society at large ; if the next Council are fur- 



