PEOCEBDINGS FOR 1889. XIII 



this libraiy than formerly, a fact probably duo to the restrictions now in force in the Parliamentary 

 Library, fi'om wliich books are not as easily taken out by the public, as in former years. Considerable 

 additions were made by the Society to the works on its shelves daring 1888, and it is hoped further 

 additions will be made this year. 



An address of welcome to Lord Stanley of Preston wasprosontod to him by the Council soon after 

 his arrival here as Governor-General, and His Exccllonc}- was graciously pleased to become Patron 

 of the Society. 



A most successful course of lectures was delivered last winter, some of which were illustrated 

 with lime-light views, or with expeiiments, as the occasion required. 



The subjects of these lectures, and the lectarers, were as follows : — 



1888. Nov. 8. Inaugural Address: Notes by the Wayside of Life, by Mr. H. B. Small, President. 



" 22. The Worlds Around us: illustrated with Lantern and Slides, by Mr. W. 11. Smith. 

 Dec. C. Lessing's " Nathan the Wise," by Mr. Thos. Cross. 

 " 20. The Water Supply of Ottawa City, illustrated with Experiments, by Jlr. F. T. 

 Shultz, M.A.F.C.S. 



1889. Jan. 10. Conversazione. 



" 24. A Yorkshire Heroine, by Mr. J. T. Waters, M.A. 

 Feb. 8. Weather Prediction, by Mi-. C. Cai'pmael, F.E.S.C. 



" 22. Climatologj', by Lieut. Gordon, R.N. 

 Mar. 28. The Moon, by Mr. H. B. Witton. 



The two astronomical lectures, "The Worlds Around Us," and "The Moon," were especially 

 instructive, and as a result of the influence exerted by them, steps are being taken for the formation 

 of an Asti'onomical Society here. It is pi-oposed to make the lectures next winter still more atti-ac- 

 tive, and, if practicable, to constitute a consecutive course. 



It is a matter of regret that the audiences were not as large as the subjects might have been 

 expected to draw togethei-. This may be attiibuted, not to a want of interest on the part of the 

 public, but to the various attractions of a similar nature which almost every public institution or 

 society now afford, and to the entertainment courses provided, in many cases weekly, by almost every 

 church congregation, for its members. 



Afternoon lectures, or classes of instruction on Natural History and Science, were held in the 

 Society's rowms during the winter by the Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club, an organization affiliated 

 with the Literaiy and Scicntitic Society, to which its members were admitted, and these classes were 

 well attended. 



And here, whilst speaking of lectures, the President of the Ottawa Literary and Scientific Society 

 strongly urges upon all societies of a similar local charactei-, the desirability of gathering together, 

 and making public, in lecture form or otherwise, any incident bearing on the earlj- history of their 

 locality, and events in any way influencing its careei'. Thei-e are matters forgotten for want of 

 record at the time, or which might have been gathered from older residents who have since passed 

 away, that might form important links in history, a want already well known as regards our aborig- 

 inal races. The events of to day become the history of the future, and local history is generally the 

 most imperfect of all. With one lecture in each course devoted to some particular branch of the sur- 

 roundings of a place, its early history, its fauna, its flora, its geology, its trade, ami so forth, there 

 would be a record for reference. 



At the Annual Meeting of the Society, held on Apiil 26th, 1880. Mi-. H. B. Small was reelected 

 President for the year 1889, and it is hoped that the operations of the Ottawa Literary and Scientific 

 Society will continue to foster the object for which that Society was formed, intellectual progress. 



