Address of the Vice-President. 41 



In the Ayr Advertiser of 15th December, 1864, some 

 observations were made which are still of use : — There is a 

 desideratum in this Society, and that is a scientific Library. 

 A library has been begun, but as yet it is little advanced, 

 and no one could do better with any spare volumes they may 

 possess, than make a donation of them to the Society. This 

 is urged, because it is only by donations the Library is to be 

 formed. Let Scientific works, works on Natural History, rare 

 Historical works, and works on Antiquities, be addressed, 

 &c., &c. 



Greater diversity has unfortunately prevailed as to a 

 Museum, and this diversity of opinion has operated most 

 injuriously. It has retarded the collection, — and in this, and 

 other such cases, delay is damage. For by delay articles 

 which would have found their proper place with us, have 

 passed away irrecoverably into other collections, — sometimes 

 into collections which have no ground of preference to our 

 own. 



In the course of this address I have had occasion to notice 

 instances of this with regret, — and in the case of members of 

 our Society with more than regret. For where, it roay be 

 asked, would a person look but to this Society for informa- 

 tion respecting the district, and for specimens illustrative of 

 its natural history and antiquities. And, indeed, a collec- 

 tion of such specimens would be of use to the members 

 themselves, by enabling them to distinguish the characteris- 

 tic peculiarities of the district, and assisting them in form- 

 ing collections of their own, and promoting the objects of the 

 Society. 



It has been deemed a good reason against a local Muse- 

 um, that local Societies die, are broken up, and their collec- 

 tions are dispersed. 



Alas ! the same thing may be said of ourselves. Death 

 and dissolution are the common lot of sublunary things, — 

 a.nd in the outset of this address I have referred to some who 

 have already paid the debt of nature; Yet each in his day 

 may be of use in helping forward the cause of progress and 



