9 
remembered that though the title of the Club may 
give no indication of it, yet papers not only on liter- 
ature, but the sister arts, are welcomed as being 
perfectly consistent with the purposes of the Society. 
Of the great attainments of many of those who have 
shared in the work of the Club, and of the number of 
original and scholarly productions which have been 
called forth by its establishment, there is not now 
space to speak. It would be unpardonable however, 
not to express the deep indebtedness of the Club to 
its president, Mr. Henry Houlding. From the very 
beginning he has been untiring in his devotion to its 
interests. To him was allotted the first evening after 
the inaugural dinner, when he gave the memorable 
paper on ‘‘ Geoffrey Chaucer ;”’ and he has on numer- 
ous occasions since, given the members the benefit of 
his singularly extensive acquaintance with English 
Literature. In respect of number of contributions 
Mr. Houlding, Dr. Brumwell, and Mr. F. J. Grant occupy 
a position pre-eminent amongst the members. 
It is an extremely gratifying fact that the great 
majority of the contributions have been supplied by 
the ordinary members, and that comparatively little 
help has been sought from outside. The policy of the 
management in thus mainly relying upon local aid, 
has conduced in no small degree to the unbroken pros- 
perity of the Club’s career. 
| It is not within the province of these introductory 
observations to give more than the briefest outline of 
the general nature of the Club’s proceedings. But 
there are several matters to which special allusion may 
properly be permitted. | 
A new avenue of public usefulness was opened 
out by the providing of the two series of Lectures in 
connection with the Gilchrist Trust. The Lecturers 
whese services were obtained through the medium 
of this admirable institution, were men of the highest 
distinctioa in their respective departments of science ; 
