SEVENTEENTH REPORT, 



In presenting to the Members of the Whitby 

 Literary and Philosophical Society, on its seventeenth 

 Anniversary, the Report of its proceedings during 

 the past year, your Council would direct attention to 

 the improved condition of the Museum, and to the 

 increase in the number of literary contributions by 

 Members of the Society. But whilst your Council 

 congratulate the Society on these results of past 

 labours, they feel it to be their duty, in retiring from 

 office, to remind their successors how much still 

 remains to be done, to render your Institution, what, 

 with care, it is destined to be for the lovers of scien- 

 tific pursuits, — a systematic source of knowledge, 

 instructive, and easy of access. 



By a reference to the Treasurer's accounts of the 

 income and expenditure of the year (the items of 

 which will be published as an Appendix to this 

 Report), it will be seen, that, considering the heavy 

 outlay in fixtures and purchases, the state of the 

 Society's funds is not more depressed than might be 

 expected. 



In the course of the preceding year, the Presi- 

 dent's chair was vacated, by the removal of Richard 



