XXXVII. 
For several years after its successful inauguration the Society had no settled 
home sufficiently commodious to allow of the expansion of the library, or of the 
holding of meetings. In 1881, after the large Exhibition building known as the 
Garden Palace erected in the Botanical Gardens had served the purpose for which it 
was primarily intended, and its retention had been decided upon, the Society, in 
common with the Technological Museum, and certain Government Departments, was, 
by permission of the Government allowed to take up its quarters in the vacant 
building, and two commodious rooms were placed at its disposal. The publications 
which the Society had received from Corresponding Societies, or as donations from 
private individuals, previously inaccessible for want of room, were thereupon made 
available to members. Sir William very soon largely added to the books acquired 
in this way, partly by two valuable gifts, one of 600 volumes, and partly by denuding 
the shelves of his own library and depositing on loan books to the value of £950; 
several microscopes, in addition to a valuable instrument by Ross which he had 
already presented to the Society, and cabinets of slides were likewise placed at the 
disposal of members ; and an extensive herbarium of Australian plants collected and 
lent by the late Rev. J. EK. Tenison-Woods added an additional attraction to those 
interested in botanical studies. Further in the months of October-December, 1881, 
under the auspices of the Society, and by arrangement with Sir William Macleay, a 
course of twenty lectures on Zoology was delivered by Mr. W. A. Haswell, M.A., 
B.Se., without fee or charge open to all desirous of attending—the first time such a 
comprehensive and instructive course had been brought within reach of Sydney 
students or of the public. 
This chapter of the Society’s history, just when everything seemed to be 
promising so well, was abruptly closed in a most unexpected manner by a disastrous 
conflagration early on the morning of September 22nd, 1882, which in a very short 
time reduced the Garden Palace and its contents to a heap of ashes. 
The Linnean Society of New South Wales lost not only everything which Sir 
William’s generosity had provided, but it suffered the irreparable loss of its official 
records, and the reserve stock of the first six volumes of the Proceedings, numbering 
more than 1000 copies in the aggregate, together with about 700 copies of Parts i. 
and u. of Vol. VII. which had recently been delivered by the printer ; the total loss 
being estimated at £3000. 
This unexpected and disastrous blow might well have crushed the hopes and 
damped the ardour of Sir William and those associated with him in the management of 
the Society’s affairs ; it might even have been accepted as an omen that its resuscita- 
tion had better not be attempted, or at least were more wisely postponed. Special 
meetings of the Council of the Society were, however, at once called, and temporary 
