THE RETROSPECT OF THE YEAR. 29 



The lecturer gave a brief history of the several attempts 

 at dictionary making before Dr. Johnson's day and then 

 gave an account of the arrangements made by some Lon- 

 don booksellers for the publication of Dr. Johnson's dic- 

 tionary, which was ])egun in 1747 and tinished in 1755. 

 The work cost the Doctor £100 more than he received 

 from the publishers so he only made a reputation by the 

 work. Professor Bates gave a number of the amusing 

 definitions from the first edition of the dictionary and spoke 

 of the peculiar characteristics of Dr. Johnson in connec- 

 tion with this work. 



Monday, March 16, 1896. — Regular meeting this eve- 

 ning in the Library room. On motion of Mr. Richard 

 C. Manning, the following resolves were passed : 



Resolved, that no more fitting or more lasting memorial 

 of the virtues of the fathers can be desired than the pub- 

 lishing and distribution of the Records of the Continental 

 Congress by the Government of the United States. 



Resolved, that the Essex Institute earnestly desires and 

 recommends the execution of this proposed work and re- 

 spectfully urges upon our representatives in Congress the 

 support of all proper measures looking to that end. 



Mr. Gilbert L. Streeter read a portion of his paper on 

 " Salem before the Revolution," which will appear in the 

 Historical Collections. 



Mondai/, March 23, 1896. — Edward Atkinson, Estj., 

 of Boston, lectured this evening in Plummer Hall, on 

 "The Altruistic Motive of Self Interest." The lecturer 

 said he knew of no other word than altruism which so 

 completely embodies the idea of that mutual service, which 

 is the law of progress by which men are governed whether 



