6 



in which some one group of the collection has been described. These 

 lectures have been well attended. The Committee regret that they have 

 had no funds to expend npon specimens or objects of art. The Museum, 

 though in many respects complete, still requires the addition of some 

 links to connect various groups in the Natural History department. 



The Autumn Exhibition still maintains its great prestige among 

 provincial exhibitions. The high class of the works exhibited, the atten- 

 dance of visitors, and the sales of pictures, have all been most satisfactory. 



The Free Courses of Lectures continue to be much appreciated. The 

 lectures delivered have been of great merit and interest, and the audiences 

 have uniformly been large and very attentive. 



The amount of popular intellectual entertainment and instruction thus 

 provided by the Committee no doubt leads up to the increased use of the 

 Library and Museum by creating an interest in the subjects upon 

 which the lecturers discourse. 



Taking our Institutions as a whole they form a unique group, and 

 whether we regard them from the excellence and completeness of the 

 collections of which they are the depositories, or the educational and 

 literary work conducted within their walls, they claim equally the 

 admiration and liberal support of our citizens ; and while they contribute 

 largely and over a very wide area to the happiness and well-doing of the 

 people, they are not the less valuable to the increasing number of men 

 of Culture and education. 



WILLIAM B. FOR WOOD, 

 Chairman. 



REFERENCE LIBRARY. 



Reference Library : — This Library includes the Brown Library 

 and Reading Room and the Picton Reading Room. Connected with it 

 are two lecture halls and several class rooms. Besides the ordinary work 

 of this Libraiy, which includes the delivery during the Autumn and 

 Winter months of several courses of free lectures in the cause of general 

 education, accommodation is found in its small lecture hall and class rooms 

 for the meetings of various small learned societies and for the holding of 

 science and art classes under the direction of the Liverpool School of 

 Science. 



