II.— STATEMENT OF PROCEEDINGS. 



The CommittRe liave jjleasure iii reporting that during the past 

 Session the Society has received a considerable accession to its member- 

 ship, the number on the roll being 178, against 154 in the previous 

 Session. The number of tickets issued to ladies and youths has been 

 103, which is a slight increase on last year's numbers. It will also be 

 seen from the Treasurer's report that the Society is in an improved 

 position with respect to funds, the balance on hand being £5 18s 5d as 

 against £1 14s 4d brought from last j'ear. The following Lectures were 

 delivered during the Session : — 



Subjects in Science : — "Clay and Flint in their Economic Aspects 

 in relation to Pottery and Glass," by Thomas C. Archer, Esq. " The 

 Lower Forms of Plant Life," by Pi'ofessor W. C. Williamson, F.R.S., of 

 Owen's College, Manchester. " Navigation," by Sir William Thomson, 

 LL.D., D.C.L, F.R.S. "The Influence of Diet, Clothing, Exercise, 

 and Ablution upon the Health of the Skin," by Professor A. M. 

 Buchanan, M.D. "The Perception of Sound and Music," by Dr John 

 G. M'Kendrick, F.R.S.E. " Contact Electricity and the Theory of the 

 Voltaic Pile," by J. Thomson Bottomley, Esq., M.A., F.R.S.E. 



General Subjects. — " Attention as an Instrument of Self Ciilture," 

 by the Honourable Lord GifFord. " The Art of Popular Illustration," 

 by Henry Blackburn, Esq. " Legislative Interference with Trade 

 Historically Illustrated," by Professor William B. Hodgson, LL.D. 

 " Science and Art," by William Denny, Esq. " Arctic Exploration and 

 the Expedition of 1875," by Dr Robert Brown, F.R.G.S. " The Society 

 of Books," by Miss Emily Faithfull. " Some Female Wi-iters," by the 

 Pi'esident, Graham Brymner, Esq. 



The Society has to record its thanks to Lord GifFord for the ex- 

 ceedingly eloquent and appropriate Lecture with which he inaugurated 

 the Session, and to Sir William Thomson — who has always shown the 

 most friendly interest in the Society — for delivering the Watt Anniver- 

 sary Lecture. Thanks are also due to Mr William Denny for the Lecture 

 he kindly contributed, and to Mr Brymner for the Closing Lecture of 

 the Session. In looking back upon the business of the Fifteenth Session, 

 the Committee think they are justified in saying that in none of its 

 predecessors have the Lectures been more in accordance with the aim 

 and objects of the Society, which are "to promote the study of literature, 

 science, and art." In neai'ly every case the Lecturers spoke from special 

 knowledge of their subject, and their success in dealing with the topics 

 they had chosen was such as to be highly gratifying. The Committee 

 hope that many of the Members and others who heard the Lectures 

 would be stimulated thereby to seek a more intimate acquaintance with 

 the subjects upon which they treated, and to follow them up by personal 

 study. In all cases where it was available the aid of illustration was 



