REPORT. 21 



(lone. The answer, however, is now shortly to be expected ; 

 and, in that expectation. Lord Grantham has been requested 

 to direct the necessary arrangements to be made, for putting 

 the Society into early possession of the ground. 



It is the full intention of the Council, if their views on this 

 subject should have the concurrence of the Meeting, to pre- 

 pare, in any event, to build on this interesting and advan- 

 tageous site, and to proceed with the least possible delay. 

 The increasing embarrassment of a large collection, accumu- 

 lated in too narrow a compass, continually urges upon them 

 the necessity of removing it to more spacious premises ; and, 

 — ^though they will not allow themselves to do with precipita- 

 tion what is to be done in perpetuity, and are well aware 

 that, in the transaction of public business, patience is a quality 

 no less requisite than zeal, — they are eager, nevertheless, to 

 push forward a work, the speedy execution of which they 

 consider as essential to the prosperity of the Institution, and 

 important to the interests of Science. 



The Society will have no reason to regret the time which 

 has been occupied in these negociations, if it shall have been 

 the means of augmenting the subscriptions to the Building 

 Fund. Even during the late period of public depression, 

 some liberal contributions have been added to it ; and, at a 

 time of reviving confidence, more may be reasonably ex- 

 pected. The character of the Society is now known and 

 appreciated : each successive Report has enabled the public 

 to form a better estimate of its pretensions ; and the Council 

 cannot but indulge a hope, that the present sketch of its pro- 



