( Ixxi ) 



consultation of books by Fellows who can satisfy their require- 

 ments on the spot, no less than 215 volumes have been borrowed 

 during the year, spread over 40 borrowers. I have more precise 

 details before rae, but it is scarcely necesssary to enter into 

 particulars. That no considerable purchases of books have been 

 made during the year is perhaps in part due to the fact that the 

 Library is at the present moment in a somewhat transition 

 condition. In my last Address I said that our indefatigable 

 Librarian (who exhibits so much energy in connection with his 

 duties as to suggest the idea that they must form the one object 

 of his life) had nearly completed a new Catalogue of the Library. 

 During the year it has been completed, and no doubt many of 

 you have already had occasion to consult it. But there is another 

 point. Many of us (and more especially our country colleagues) 

 would wish to be able to consult a printed Catalogue, so as to be 

 sure that a visit to our rooms might not be fruitless. The 

 printing of a Catalogue would entail heavy expense. But I hope 

 the Council may soon see their way to effect it, and that a 

 moderate sum charged to those of our Fellows who desire to 

 possess copies may largely recoup the cost. With regard to this 

 I may mention that there exists a minute on the Council-book to 

 the effect that the surplus sum resulting from the whole or a 

 portion of the Admission Fees received by the elevation of our 

 former Subscribers to the rank of Fellows may be placed towards 

 the first expense of printing the Catalogue. Until this matter be 

 decided I think a prudent Council should hesitate as to incurring 

 large liabilities in the purchase of books. 



Our Librarian estimates the number of volumes (including 

 pamphlets and separate papers) in the Library at approximately 

 55(39. And he has, unsolicited, supplied me with some interesting 

 details, which it may be well to make public. Under the head of 

 authors there are 3925 entries, distributed as follows, according 

 to the initial letters of their names : — 



A .. .. 55 J .. .. 58 S .. ..592 



B .. ..427 K ,. .. 89 T .. .. 80 



C .. ..327 L .. ..258 U .. .. 10 



D .. .. 244 , M .. ..216 V .. .. 26 



E .. .. 39 1 N .. .. 60 W .. ..483 



V .. .. 93 .. .. 76 X .. .. — 



G .. .. 175 i P .. .. 298 : Y .. .. 4 



H .. .. 250 ! Q .. .. 2 I Z .. .. 18 



I .. .. 16 , K .. .. 34 I 



3925 



