VI ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
On the arrival of this collection, a room was set apart in the Museum 
for its reception. The arrangement and classification were undertaken 
by Mrs. Birdsall and Miss Dunlop. 
The room is now officially known as the “ Florida Room,” the 
articles being so numerous as to entirely occupy the whole room. To 
Mr. and Mrs. Nesbitt, who so generously presented the collection, and 
to the ladies who arranged them so tastefully, the thanks of the Society 
are due. 
The Museum has been visited by many hundreds of persons during 
the season, and many from a distance expressed surprise at its extent. 
Among the distinguished visitors were the Hon. G. W. Ross, Premier of 
Ontario, and Sir John G. Bourinot, Honorary Secretary of the Royal 
Society of Canada, who kindly offered to place our Museum on the list 
for the reports of that Society, which will form a most valuable acquisi- 
tion to our library. 
Although the Museum is managed by a board of gentlemen fully 
competent for the office, it should be remembered that all members of 
the Society have some responsibility therewith, and should endeavour 
to promote its welfare. 
During the season Mrs. McFarlane Wilson, one of our most enthusi- 
astic members, undertook the collection of funds for the erection of a 
monument to the memory of Isabella Valancey Crawford, a gifted poetess 
of Irish birth, who for some years was a resident of Peterborough. Miss 
Crawford’s works were not as fully appreciated during her life-time, 
by an unthinking public, as they should have been, yet now, at this late 
hour, many of her admirers have gladly subscribed to the fund, and the 
unmarked grave in the Little Lake Cemetery will soon have a monument, 
the necessary money having been acquired by the kindly efforts of Mrs. 
Wilson and “ Kit,” of the Mail and Empire. A design selected in the 
form of a Celtic cross to mark her Irish origin, and enriched with maple 
leaves in memory of her strong love for Canada, as shown by many of 
her poems. 
The full membership of the Society is 90, of which about 30 per 
cent may be called active members. 
It is to be regretted that so few papers have been read before the 
Society. It is true we have no old battle-fields, as our sister societies 
of the frontier counties have, but many an incident well worthy of 
preservation might be gleaned from the old settlers, many of whom 
would gladly submit to having their memories freshened by interrogation. 
The Executive of the Society for the year 1899 consisted of the 
following :— 
Honorary President—Mrs. Catherine Parr Traill. 
