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Ere closing my Report, I trust I may be allowed, as both 

 Secretary and Treasurer, to make a few remarks upon past and 

 future work, which I hope may be taken up in the discussion that 

 should ensue on the reading of the various Society Reports. 



Undoubtedly our object is mainly this — to draw out the 

 mental powers by specially encouraging self-culture. This may 

 be done by leading members to work out a subject for themselves, 

 and, if possible, present the result to the Society ; and by bringing 

 before the members new and varied matter from a circle outside 

 them. In other words, mental growth is the aim ; to be brought 

 about by nourishment from within and nourishment from without. 

 The most effectual way of securing this among our Societies is, in 

 my opinion, the plan first pursued at Keswick, and afterwards 

 followed at Maryport, Longtown, Carlisle, and Ambleside, —of 

 having two classes of meetings during the winter session : the 

 Ordinary Meeting, at which Papers are read by Members of the 

 Society only, and the Public Lecture given usually by an outsider, 

 and open to the general public on a small charge. I can speak 

 confidently of the good result, for by the adoption of this plan 

 each Society is bound to provide a certain number of Papers out 

 of its own resources, while the Public Lecturer from a distance 

 may bring in new matter and new life, and the geiiej-al audience 

 which gathers around him serves as a recruiting ground for the 

 enlistment of new Society members. At any rate, I believe facts 

 clearly prove that more papers of an original character have been 

 brought before those Societies having these two classes of meeting 

 than before those which have but one class. When the Ordinary 

 Meetings are well sustained by the Society members, the Associ- 

 ation Secretary may with all the better conscience help to supply 

 the Lecture course with efficient lecturers from the neighbouring 

 Societies and county at large, for then it becomes a clear case of 

 helping those who try to help themselves. 



Another and most essential point in the welfare of a Society 

 is the possession of an efficient Secretary. In many cases I would 

 advocate the union of the posts of Secretary and Treasurer, as an 

 economy of labour and a concentration of interest in the work. If, 



I 



