272 Scientific Reviews. 



brarian, they found that the books had never been delivered into his possession, 

 and that consequently he had no catalogue, and indeed knew nothing about them. 

 Here, then, was a hopeless case ; they neither knew what to look for, nor where 

 to look ; though suspicion pointed to the place where most of the books might be 

 found. The committee were culpable in not reporting to the Society, at this 

 time, on the true condition of things. 



Again it is said, that " such members as demanded books were furnished with 

 them." A mere equivocation ! for during the whole period of the Society's exis- 

 tence, there have not been above twenty applications from members for the use of 

 books, — and for the best reasons ; — they did not know what books were in the 

 Society's library, and no access to the room was permitted except on the days of 

 meetings ; and that no books were given out on such days, is evidenced by the 

 minute quoted in the 4th paragraph, that in 1828 it was agreed " that thereaf' 

 ter, the librarian, or a member of the Society acting in his place, should be re- 

 quested to attend on each Saturday on which the Society meets, at one o'clock 

 p. M. for the purpose of giving out and receiving books." We only ask the fa- 

 bricator of the tale, to show to any one of the members the book which contains 

 the receipts for volumes borrowed, if the mummery of procuring such an useless 

 book has been observed ; and it will at once testify how many members " were 

 furnished" with books from the library. 



In the 5th paragraph we find it stated that " Mr. Macgillivray had hitherto 

 assisted in arranging and keeping the books, without holding any office in the 

 Society." We need say no more, in explanation of this most unwarrantable as- 

 sumption, than that Mr. Macgillivray was the " private secretary" of Professor 

 Jameson, the president of the Society, and that it shows plainly enough who had 

 the use of the books. 



But in 1828, " Mr. Macgillivray was elected assistant librarian," though he 

 was not at that time an ordinary member of the Society ; " and this appoint- 

 ment, it was hoped," says the circular, " would both relieve Mr. Wilson, and 

 promote the object in view, of facilitating access to the books." Mere persi^ 

 flage ! Why, the books were not in Mr. Wilson's care, and access to the room 

 continued to be as impossible as before. 



In the 6th paragraph, the writer's boldness increasing with the apparent success- 

 fulness of the historical details, the equivocation is repeated in a less deceitful form. 

 " Although books were as heretofore furnished by the librarian to members require 

 ing them," (it is fortunate for the truth of this statement that no members requir- 

 ed them ; indeed that, during his whole officiate, the librarian has not given out 

 twenty volumes,) " difficulties, it appears, still occurred, arising chiefly from the 

 circumstance of the Society not possessing a separate apartment of its own, which 

 might at all times be accessible to the members." We have already stated that 

 the room was at no time accessible to the members, except on the days of meeting. 



Thus far it has been managed to keep within the bounds of truth, but a try- 

 ing fact came now to be stated, which, if candidly acknowledged, would negative 

 the whole tenor of the document. " On 17th April 1830, in consequence of a 

 letter addressed to the president, (signed, among others, by Mr. Falconar, the 

 original mover for the committee of 1824, and by Mr. Arnott, the senior mem- 

 ber of that committee,) it was " agreed that a meeting of the Society be called for 

 Saturday 24th April, to take into consideration the present state of the library, 

 and other matters connected with the Society." Here the great object of the cir- 

 cular is divulged ; for the sole purpose of denying the true cause of the appoint- 

 ment of the present committee, by connecting it with the old committee of 1824, 

 has all this trouble been taken. What sensations, then, will the framer of that 

 statement feel, when we declare, upon evidence and with confidence, that Mr. 

 Arnott did not sign that letter, and that no other names were attached to it than 



recommend the Council to look into it, and particularly to order tfie laws to be 

 printed forthwith, for it certainly is the merest drivelling to put one's head 

 blindfolded into the despotic yoke. 



