II.— STATEMENT OF PKOCEEDINGS. 



The Treasurer's statement for the past year shows a balance on hand of 

 £5 13s 5d. 



The number of Members on the roll is 142, and the number of tickets 

 issued to Ladies and young persons is 86. 



The following Papers and Lectures were delivered during the Session : — 



Subjects in Science. — " The Earth : its Waste and Eeconstruction," 

 and " Scenery: its Characteristics and Causes," (Two Lectures) by Dr David 

 Page, F.R.S.E. ; " The Sun," by Professor Eobert Grant, LL.D., F.R.S. 



In Belles-Lettres, History and Art. — " The Greek Tragic Drama : 

 Ji^schylus," (Two Lectures) by Mr Claud Marshall ; '' Musical Jottings— 

 chiefly Historical," by Mr John M. Hutcheson ; " Poetry in relation to the 

 Culture of an Age," by the Eev. John G. Stobbs ; " The Rocky Moun- 

 tains," by Mr W. Hepworth Dixon ; "Nature and Art," by Professor John 

 Veitch, M.A. ; " To Egypt and Back : Reminiscences of Six Months in the 

 Service of His Highness the late Said Pacha," by Mr James Miller ; " The 

 Struggle between Wniiam the Silent, Prince of Orange, and Philip II. of 

 Spain^with its issue in the independence of the Netherlands," by the Rev. 

 John Nelson, D.D. ; " Poetry and Art," by Mr John Eraser. 



Dramatic Readings. — Shakspere's Tragedy, " Julius Csesar," by Mr 

 Allan Park Paton ; " Miscellaneous Readings and Recitations," by Mr 

 Harcourt Beatty. 



It will be observed that the greater portion of the Lectures delivered 

 have been on literary subjects ; and it is unnecessarj' to remark that aU of 

 them have been treated in a manner eminently worthy of the Society and 

 the gentlemen who delivered them. 



The Session was opened by Dr Page with a highly interesting paper on 

 Physical Geography. 



The Watt Lectm-e was delivered by Dr Grant, the distinguished Pro- 

 fessor of Astronomy in Glasgow University. 



The Society are much indebted to Mr Marshall, Mr Hutcheson, the Rev. 

 ]Mr Stobbs, Mr Miller, and Dr Nelson for the valuable papers contributed 

 by them. The Society can only hope that other members and friends 

 will, in the ensuing session, imitate the good example of the gentlemen 

 named, by taking part in the next course of lectures. 



At the beginning of the session a number of m.embers formed themselves 

 into a " Reading Party," similar to those which had been so successfully 

 carried out in the two previous sessions. The work chosen for study was 

 Dr Page's " Physical Geography," which has occupied the party through- 

 out the winter, and has brought before the members many subjects of the 

 highest interest. 



The members of this party have arranged to make a few Excursions 

 during the summer months for the pm-pose of observing the objects of 

 interest in the neighbourhood, and they will be glad to have the company 

 of other Members of the Society. Gentlemen who wish to join the Ex- 

 cursions should give intimation to the Secretary or Treasurer. 



