specimens has occurred ; and their conduct has been 

 decorous and proper, affording a full proof, were it 

 needed, of the propriety and advantage of affording 

 every facility to all of becoming familiar with the 

 works of nature and art ; the effect of which is twofold, 

 and the benefits reciprocal : while the throwing open 

 such collections has a humanizing and refining effect 

 upon the public mind, all classes become warmly 

 interested, not only in the protection and safety of the 

 Specimens, but feel a honest pride, when in their 

 power, of assisting and adding to their value by pre- 

 senting what may be worthy of reception and 

 preservation. 



On resigning rtieir trust, the Council beg strongly 

 to urge upon every Member of the Society the im- 

 portance of exertion during the recess, in order to 

 prevail upon a larger number of our fellow-townsmen 

 to become Members or Subscribers. Every year regu- 

 larly deprives the Society, from death, change of 

 residence, or other causes, of some of its old Members ; 

 and unless their places should be supplied by an 

 accession of new ones, its numbers must be constantly 

 dwindling down, and its funds becoming more scanty. 

 The Council are, however, persuaded that in this active 

 and intelligent community (and especially amongst its 

 younger members) there are many to whom it can 



