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XX 
Gentlemen,—On the opening of our new Meeting Room and Library, 
at the commencement of the present Session, it may be fitting to inaugurate 
our reunion and installation here by a few introductory remarks. 
Your Council has long been conscious of the many inconveniences 
experienced from the former inaccessible position of our Library at Bedford 
Row and its disconnection with our Meeting Room, conceded to us by 
favour of the Linnean Society at Burlington House. The numerous 
additions, moreover, to. our bibliographical collection having superadded 
want of space to other exigencies, it has been deemed expedient to provide 
for these requirements in combination with some other Society capable of 
affording us adequate accommodation. . 
By the unremitting exertions of our Secretary, Mr. Grut, this has 
finally been accomplished; and although the advantages of bringing our 
Library and Meeting Room into juxtaposition in a more central site must 
necessarily involve a certain increase in our annual expenditure, it may not 
unreasonably be anticipated that the beneficial influences resulting there- 
from will not be confined to those only who now muster in our ranks, but | 
will also constitute a source of attraction to others. | 
Arrangements have likewise been made whereby, as already intimated 
in convening this meeting, our Library will be open to Members and 
Subscribers every Monday from two to seven o'clock, as heretofore, and on 
every Wednesday and Friday from two to five o'clock, instead of one day in 
the week. 
I must also bring under your notice that we are indebted to the 
liberality of one of our Members for a further-proof of the interest which 
he has on several other occasions exhibited on behalf of this Society, in | 
' providing for the entire expense of transferring our Library to this locality, | 
as well as of the glazed book-cases and fittings requisite for its reception. | 
In connection with these ameliorations it has been found necessary | 
to alter the days hitherto appointed for our meetings from Monday to | 
Wednesday, the former day in each week being already appropriated to the 
meetings of the Medical Society. Our Anniversary Meeting, however, will | 
still be held on the fourth Monday in January, as prescribed by the Bye-| 
Laws, but at an earlier hour—namely, at five o'clock in the afternoon. 
It has also been deemed opportune to revert to the former custom, as. 
originally provided by the founders of this Society, of holding our meetings: 
in the first week of each month throughout the year, instead of having 
certain bi-monthly meetings to obviate the difficulty arising from the closing 
of the rooms at Burlington House during the summer recess. 
Having thus adverted to the changes made with a view to promote the 
interests of this Society and the convenience of its Members, 1 would 
further draw your attention to the expansion which it has been deemed 
advisable to give to the usual custom of introducing friends at our 
