826 MONTHLY SUMMARY. 



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coincidence of time and the bearing they had upon each other 

 and on the fortunes of the Society, must alwp.ys be looked on as 

 forming an important feature in that period of its annals. The 

 first was the sale of its magnificent Library; the second, the 

 interposition of their personal security and liberal advances by 

 way of loan by the wealihiest or most zealous of the Council ; 

 and the last, and most important, the accession of H.R.H. the 

 Prince Consort to tlje Presidency of the Society. The sacrifice 

 of the Library, and the liberality of the Members of Council 

 cleared the way for the Prince's plans ; without them, his 

 course would have been encumbered with prieliminary diffi- 

 culties which it would have been hard to overcome. While the 

 importance of these steps in bringing about the present more 

 prosperous condition of the Society inust be recognised by alU 

 it is not in human riature to contemplate the loss of the 

 Library without repining. It is still remembered with fond 

 regret by the Fellows, and as the prospecls of the Society- 

 brighten, the feeling begins to grow that, although a Library 

 e(jual to it may never be again accumulated, still the Society 

 ought to possess one, and that, steps should be taken gradually 

 to provide it. The first step towards carrying out this idea has 

 been taken by Mrs. Eoupell, of Kingsbridge, near Reading, who 

 has presented the Society with a copy of her beautifully illus- 

 trated work, entitled *' Specimens of the Flora of South Africa." 

 It is to be hoped that her liberal example maybe followed by many. 



The Council have at present no place in which to bestow a 

 library, but they have reason to believe that after the close of 

 the Exhibition sufficient and convenient accommodation, not only 

 for a library, but also for a reading room and museum may be 

 obtained on easy terms from the Commissioners of 1851. The 

 Council recognise the importance of these pbjects, and are disposed 

 to make an effort to carry them into effect. The Society already 

 possesses the germ of a good horticultural collection, consisting of 

 wax models of fruits, &c., which, for want of space elsewhere, is 

 stored away at Chiswick. An immense increase to this collection 

 raight be made from the objects at present in the International 

 Exhibition, and the Council have endeavoured to avail themselves 

 of the rare opportunity thus afforded, by addressing a circular to 

 the Special Commissioners of the different departments, soliciting 

 their assistance in obtaining contributions for their collection. 



It is scarcely necessary to say, that the object which the 

 Council has in view in establishing such a collection is purely 

 horticultural, and that thev have no desire in anv wavto inrpirfAVA 



