32 Timehri. 



Street, and the other High Street, but from the situation of the artesian 

 well near the first building we must say that Water Street was 

 then under the east of our Reading Room, for the artesian well 

 though now closed, is still to be found under the east half of the 

 Museum. This goes to prove that Edmonstone's timber flat was where 

 the street was laid down after the fire, and that his office would be on the 

 present Reading Room site. This should make it all the more interest- 

 ing, although it is no new discovery that the great fire not only made a 

 clearance, but allowed the bank of the river to be pushed farther out. 



The drawing of the old Reading Room exhibited, gives a fair idea of 

 its appearance. The other building is now the Commissaries Office ; it 

 has been occupied as magistrates, immigration and post offices, as well as 

 by The Georgetown Atheuaeum, and as an Armoury. Half the original 

 grant was given to the Assembly Rooms by consent of the Society, and 

 the east building with another piece of land was sold to the Government 

 after it had been repaired at the Society's expense. 



It is interesting to note that when Edmonstone's store was where we 

 are now standing, Charles Waterton must have often paid a visit to " the 

 greatest friend he ever had in his life." Here also he must have first 

 shown his " Nondescript " as the Wild Man of the Woods. 



The Present Ruildings. 

 The old Reading Room was entirely destroyed in 1864. The bust of 

 Dr. Blair is said to have been pushed out of a window, and having fallen 

 on mud was not much injured. The Queen's portraits were saved, but 

 nothing else save a few odd books then in circulation. It was generally 

 supposed that the minute books had also been lost but fortunately I found 

 them in 1888 by enquiry of Mr. Forshaw, who allowed me to go over 

 Mr. Campbell's papers. 



The fire was a blessing in disguise, for it gave the Society a new 

 lease of life. For some years it was hardly progressive although by no 

 means inactive. A little spirit had been given by an oflshoot in the form 

 of a Natural History Society which was to have a Museum. This 

 Museum was actually commenced about 1860, but without proper accom- 

 modation or attention the few specimens went to ruin. The store-room 

 where they were kept was not burnt down, but the upset of the fire put 

 an end to the Natural History Society 



The Society was allowed the use of the Assembly Rooms after the 

 fire, but as there was no longer a library, some of the members dropped 

 out through not paying subscriptions. There was much work to be done, 

 but Mr. Campbell was able to do it. 



Helpers and Hixderers. 

 In every Society there are always a few more prominent than the 

 others. Some are fault-tinders, but unless they also work to improve 



