IV 



PREFACE. 



an irreparable lofs in the death of Mr Maclaurin, 

 one of our fecretaries. The great talents of that Gen- 

 tleman are generally known and highly efteemed in the 

 literary world ; but the fociety have, alfo, particular rea- 

 fon to regrete in him the lofs of thofe qualities which 

 form an excellent academician. Indefatigable himfelf, 

 he was a perpetual fpur to the induftry of others ; and 

 •was highly pleafed with the promotion of knowledge, 

 from whatever hands it came. At the time of his death, 

 a number of difcoveries, fufficient to have formed a vo- 

 lume, had been communicated to him ; but, being 

 mingled with his other papers, have been diffipated by 

 various accidents ; and the fociety could recover but few 

 of them. 



The obje£l: of this fociety is the fame with that of 

 the other academies, which have been eftablilhed in 

 different parts of Europe, the promoting of natural phi- 

 lofophy, and of literature, by communicating to the pu- 

 blic fuch diflertations as fliall be tranfmitted to them, 

 either by their own members or by others. 'Tis allow- 

 ed that thefe two branches of learning, efpecially the 

 former, are more promoted by the obfervation of fa<!;ts 

 than by the mofl ingenious reafonings and difputations.. 

 To a diligent, and even fometimes to a carelefs inqui- 

 rer, many valuable experiments, no doubt, occur ; and 

 thefe would enrich our colleftions, though, without this 

 method of conveyance, they would be intirely loft ta 



the 



