TRANSACTIONS 



OF THE 



Ottawa Literary and Scientific Society. 



INTRODUCTION. 



When the first number of the Transactions of the Ottawa 

 Literary and Scientific Societ}' was published , the series of papers 

 which it contained was prefaced by a concise and very appro- 

 priate introduction by my predecessor in the Presidental Chair, 

 Mr. Otto Klotz, who so clearly stated the raison d'etre of this 

 publication that any words of formal introduction to the present 

 pages might well appear superfluous. 



The days of lengthy introductions, of formal preludes and 

 prologues are, indeed, over as Dr. John Skelton has warned us 

 in his delightful "Table-Talk of Shirley." The genial Edin- 

 burgh litterateur did not shrink, however, from expressing a word 

 of commendation for the well-nigh obsolete formality. 

 'As 3^outh', he said 'is glorified by the pleasure of antici- 

 pation, so the prologue to poem or romance, nay, even the 

 prospectus of a limited company, has something of the same 

 attractive uncertainty." 



Without attempting a repetition of the purpose and aims of 

 this publication, already outlined in the introduction by Mr. 

 Klotz referred to, it is enough to point out that the papers in the 

 present number range over a varied field, literary and scientific. 

 The contributions are original, and were prepared for, and read 

 before, the Society. They represent not so much the popular and 

 entertaining side of the Society's work, as that more technical 

 and substantial side, to which special importance has always been 

 attached by those who have had the administration of the 

 Society's affairs at various stages of its history. 



