Otp Pus Lic LIBRARIES IN DUMFRIES. 41 
to make up a revised catalogue, but the work involved a good 
deal of labour, and was never completed. Ultimately it was de- 
cided to send the books to the General Assembly’s library in Edin- 
burgh. This was done in 1885. They are now well preserved, 
and it is probable that a catalogue of them will be forthcoming 
shortly. 
1750.—About this date must have been founded “ The 
Society Library,’’ for it is advertised in Oliver and Boyd for 1845, 
as having been “ Established a century ago.’’ It had in 1845 
thirty proprietors, and the librarian was John Sinclair. 
The only other record of this library that I have found is the 
“Catalogue of The Society Library, Dumfries, taken 24th June, 
1851,’’ at which time it contained some 2300 volumes. From the 
rules it appears that the subscription was £1, and that members of 
the Dumfries and Galloway Club were eligible to the use of the 
library on the same terms as the original proprietors. The 
librarian’s salary was £4 annually. 
What became of the library I have failed entirely to discover. 
The list of members in 1851 was as follows:—Robert Adamson, 
John Babington, W. T. Carruthers, Col. Clark, rep. of the late 
Thos. Clark, John Clark, James Connell, John H. Craik, rep. of 
the late Thomas Crichton, Major Davis, John Laurie, Admiral 
Lennox, John Lyon, J. M. Leny, A. H. Maxgwell, Wellwood 
Maxwell, Francis Maxwell, William Maxwell, Sir J. S. Menteath, 
Bart., J. Macmorrin, W. M‘Lellan, John Staig, R. Threshie. 
It evidently existed as late as 1859, for among the final entries 
is Darwin’s Origin of Species. The collection was a very fine 
general one, rich in travel, biography, and history. As it appears 
to have been the finest collection of then current literature 
gathered in Dumfries, I should like very much to learn what 
became of it. 
1792.—The Dumfries Public Library was established in this 
year “as a general benefit to the town and neighbourhood.”’ 
Burns’ connection with it has kept it in greater prominence than 
any of the other libraries. An advertisement in the “ Courier ”’ 
dated Nov. 14, 1838, informs us that the committee propose re- 
ducing the entrance fee from ten to three guineas to induce more 
members to join. At that time they state that they have a library 
of 3000 volumes of standard excellence. There were seventy- 
two subscribers in 1841, From 1841 to 1851 at any rate, the 
