History and Pi'Oi^ress. 



31 



the groups at the Albert Memorial, Hyde Park), adorns the 

 large hall of the reference library. The Library and 

 Technical Committee of the Corporation also conduct, 

 under the Agricultural and Technical Education Act, a 

 School of Art, and a number of technical classes in 

 temporary premises in various {)arts of the city. 



FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY. 



The Museum of the Natural History and Philo- 

 sophical Society, College Square North (founded in 182 i ), 

 contains a good collection of objects. The antiquity-room 

 contains a large series of examples, mainly from the North 

 of Ireland, gathered by the late George Benn. Local 

 archaeology is illustrated by collections contributed by 

 many other antiquarian students. The museum embraces 

 an excellent series of the departments of geology, zoology, 

 and botany. The Belfast Naturalists' Field Club, 

 now in its fortieth year, holds its winter meetings in 

 the museum. The Linen Hall Library, Donegall Square, 

 or, more accurately speaking, the Belfast Society for Pro- 

 moting Knowledge, was established in 1788. Until recently 

 the library was kept, and the meetings of the society 

 were held, in the central building of the Linen Hall; 

 hence the name which it has so long borne. Since 



