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Proceedings of the Royal Scottish Society of Arts, 

 Session 1841-42. 



The Annual General Meeting of the Society was held in 

 the Royal Institution, on Monday, 8th November 1841, — 

 Andrew Fyfe, M.D., F.R.S.E., President, in the Chair. 



Before proceeding to the business of the evening, Dr Fyfe 

 addressed the Members. He congratulated them on liaving, 

 through the exertions of their Secretary, obtained a Royal 

 Charter of Incorporation, and that in future the Society is to 

 bear the title of *' The Royal Scottish Society of Arts." 

 During the three Sessions preceding that at which he was 

 called to the Chair, the number of entrants amounted on an 

 average to 45 per annum. In the last Session the number 

 was 39 ; while, at the same time, numerous communications 

 were presented, some of them of great importance, not only 

 in a scientific, but also in a practical point of view, as was 

 shewn by the printed Report of the Prize Committee, in which 

 it would be seen that a greater number of Premiums are this 

 year awarded than during any former Session. 



Dr Fyfe afterwards alluded to the loss the Society had sus- 

 tained by the death of several of its distinguished members, 

 but which, he hoped, would be compensated for by the admis- 

 sion of others, and the renewed exertions of those he now ad- 

 dressed ; and he entreated them that, whatever differences of 

 opinion might exist among them, they would carry on their 

 discussions in the spirit of charity towards one another, bear- 

 ing in mind that the discovery of truth, and not victory, was 

 the object they had in view ; endeavouring to assist each other 

 in their pursuits, and thus, by co-operation, striving to promote 

 the welfare of the Society, and consequently giving encourage- 

 ment to the Arts and Sciences, the object for which the So- 

 ciety was founded. 



The following communications were then made : — 



1. At the request of the Council, an Experimental Exposition of tho 

 Theory and Mechanism of the Steam-Engino wiis given by George Glovrr, 

 Esq., F.R S.S.A., Lecturer on Natural Philosophy and Medical Physics, 

 Edinburgh. (829.) 



