TRANSACTIONS 



OF the; 



Ottawa Litcrari: k 8cici]tilic Society, 



INTRODUCTION. 



In issuing the first publication of the Ottawa Literary and 

 Scientific Society a few words are necessary : — 



The position occupied by the Society in the community 

 is unique, and its development is bound up in the history of 

 Ottawa (formerly By town.) 



Up to the present the city of Ottawa is without a public 

 library, a regrettable fact which, it is hoped, may be remedied 

 soon ; and the Societ}^, therefore, from its inception felt the 

 neces.sity of endeavoring to supply the place of that much 

 needed institution. 



Passing over the historical part which will be given 

 later, and considering the Society of recent years, it is desirable 

 to state that, besides providing a library and reading room, it 

 has annually furnished a course of lectures. 



These lectures, while of a popular nature, in many 

 cases embodied original work, and for the presentation of 

 such work this publication is intended, the Society consider- 

 ing that in this matter it has a duty to perform, — to add its 

 mite to the world's fund of knowledge, upon which we all 

 so freely draw. 



Heretofore the course has not been arranged with the 

 especial object of furnishing material for publication, and 

 hence our present issue may probably be regarded- as some- 

 what meagre. However, it is hoped that hereafter, annually, 

 more material will be available and a more extensive publi- 

 cation issued, 



