4 PREFACE. 



the names of the founders of the Society in 1781. In the 

 preface of the first volume of Memoirs (1785) it is stated 

 that the Society, as instituted in 1781, originated in the 

 meeting of a few gentlemen, inhabitants of the town, as 

 a kind of weekly club for the purpose of conversing on 

 subjects of literature and philosophy, which continued for 

 some years, and which grew in membership so far as to 

 induce the Founders of the Society to think of extending 

 their original design. No authentic list of these gentle- 

 men is known to exist, and it is necessary to indicate the 

 nature of the evidence in our possession on which the list 

 here given is constructed. 



In general, the evidence of membership is the record 

 of election in the MS. Journal of the Society in its earlier 

 days, and in the Proceedings of the Society since these 

 have been published. In addition, we have the book 

 for the proposal of candidates, from which we have dis- 

 covered the full names of many who have proposed others 

 as members, and, finally, the Treasurer's Account Books. 

 At the commencement, there is no separate Candidates' 

 Book, nor any Treasurer's Book, as no such officer was 

 elected till 1783, and we have to depend solely on the 

 MS. Journal. 



The first volume of this Journal begins with the initiatory 

 meeting on February 28th, 1781, but, beyond the date, it 

 records only the election of Presidents and Secretaries. This 

 is followed by a list of members, which consists of an 

 original list of names, under the several initial letters on 

 separate pages, with the names added of all those elected 

 during the period, from February 28th, 1781, to February 

 1 3th, 1782, over which the record in the volume extends. 

 Four of these names are, however, struck out. Proceeding 

 with the description of the volume, there is no record of 

 any meeting being held on March 7th, but a record of 

 attendance and of the proceedings is given for the i4th, 

 2ist, and 28th of March. For the next three meetings no 



