96 



suit was an offer on the part of Sir William Betham to sell the MSS. 

 to the Academy for the sum of £1000, which he subsequently re- 

 duced to £800, from his wish to have them preserved in Ireland, 

 although he could have obtained (as the Council are assured) the 

 original sum at which he valued them, if he would consent to dis- 

 pose of them elsewhere. The Committee having reported that the 

 Manuscripts were well worth the price expected for them, and that 

 they would be a valuable addition to our Library, it was resolved 

 to make an attempt to raise the sum required. A new demand was, 

 with great reluctance, made on the liberality of our Members and 

 of the public : the subscription list was headed by a donation of 

 £100 from the Academy, and a memorial was presented to the Lord 

 Lieutenant, in the hope of obtaining a portion of the purchase- 

 money for this national object, through his Excellency's influence 

 with Her Majesty's Government. 



The final answer to this memorial has not yet been received. 

 His Excellency has expressed the warmest interest in the object 

 proposed, but it is obvious that the present financial condition of 

 the country renders the present a peculiarly unpropitious time for 

 an application to Government for such a purpose. The subscrip- 

 tions already promised do not amount to above a third of the re- 

 quired sum; and it is to be feared that, unless a very great exertion 

 is made. Sir William Betham will be compelled to dispose of his 

 manuscripts elsewhere. 



During the past year twenty-five new Members have been elected 

 into the Academy, and we have lost, by death, four honorary and 

 eight ordinary Members ; so that the total number of Members now 

 on the list of the Academy is. 



Honorary, 61 



Ordinary, 395 



Total, . . 456 

 The new Members elected during the year now closed are the 

 following : 



Abraham Whyte Baker, Jun., Esq. Right Hon. Sir Thomas Esmonde, 

 James W. Middleton Berry, Esq. Bart. 

 Richard Vicars Boyle, Esq. Nathaniel Hone, Esq. 



