who have labored in the interests of tlie Society. But, 

 indeed, it may be asked If the attendance at any didactic 

 lecture, except that of the curtain variety, wholly justifies 

 the zeal of the lecturer? And even the immortal Mrs. Caudle 

 was never entirely pleased with her audience— at least that 

 would appear to he a fair inference from her ohserv^a- 

 tions as reported for us by Jerrold. The true reward to 

 those who, by their public addresses, so g-enerously assist 

 this Society in the promotion of its high aims lies in the 

 acceptance and appreciation which our Transactions 

 receive from kindred organizations, the world over, with 

 which we exchange publications. 



It may not be altogether without the scope of this 

 loreword to alliide to the munificence of two life mem- 

 bers of the Society, Mr. Thomas Ahearn and Mr. John 

 Manuel, whose recent donations haA^e enabled us to make 

 substantial additions to certain departments of our 

 library which had theretofore languished from lack of 

 funds. The good judgment of Council in expending 

 the moneys so donated is a1 tested by the fact that the 

 Librarian's books show a marked increase in the propor- 

 tion of solid and instructive literature in circulation as 

 compared w^ith that of the lighter sort. And just here 

 let me say that while our library is of modest dimensions, 

 it extends itself wholly within the domain of good litera- 

 ture. True, Novels are to be found there ; and that is 

 because we have no quarrel with such pleasures of the 

 imagination in the abstract. Did not literature begin with 

 Fiction ; and are not its chief activities manifested to-day 

 through the medium of the Novel? "The Epic and the 

 Drama," observes Andrew Lang, "were the Novels of the 

 Greek and Elizabethan ages ; they held the popular place 



