1880.] President's Remarks. 3 



The next point upon which I will touch is one that is likely to 

 be of great importance to the Society. Fellows are aware that 

 during the past Vacation, some long-projected alterations of the 

 building in which we are assembled have been completed, with 

 the result of throwing into one two smaller rooms. The large 

 chamber thus formed is at present unoccupied, but it is no secret 

 (for the assertion was made openly in the Schools) that the inten- 

 tion of some of those who brought about this change was to pro- 

 vide a library for the accommodation of scientific books for the 

 use of all those who use this building. The fact that such a 

 library would sooner or later become necessary has been long 

 foreseen, and, for myself, the time of need seems now to have 

 arrived. This proposal has many times been discussed in private, 

 and I believe it has been openly urged that the library of the 

 Society should form the nucleus of the new collection. A week 

 ago the subject was brought formally before the Council of the 

 Society, and a Committee appointed to report thereon. It will be 

 plain to all that the Society would be a great gainer if its books 

 could be accommodated in a more accessible room than that 

 which they now occupy, and members would without doubt find 

 the large chamber on the ground floor very commodious for their 

 purposes. But, on the other hand, there are necessarily some 

 disadvantages, supposing that this plan was carried out. In the 

 first place, the books thus being so much more accessible would 

 have to be put under a much stricter supervision than at present, 

 and this supervision could not be attained without some expense. 

 Then, too, it has been announced that this large room will require 

 to be used for examinations, and it is of course obvious that in 

 that case unrestricted admission could not be at all times enjoyed 

 even by Fellows of the Society ; while we all know, from the 

 experience of past years, the tendency of examinations to increase 

 both in number and in duration. Fellows of the Society might 

 therefore come to find that the projected change would involve a 

 serious deprivation of their rights. Yet, with all this, I fully 

 believe that the Society would on the whole benefit by the altera- 

 tion, and I trust that means may be found whereby the incon- 

 venience I have mentioned may be reduced to a minimum. More 

 than this it is impossible for me to say at present, and of course 

 it will be understood that the Society will have due notice given 

 to it of any action taken by the Council, and an opportunity of 

 expressing its opinion thereon, but I have thought it only right to 

 take the present opportunity of announcing to the Society at this 

 meeting what is in contemplation, and the possibility of some 

 arrangement being entered into with the University by the Council 

 subject to the Society's approval. 



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