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Monday, June 27th, 1853. 



THOMAS ROMNEY ROBINSON, D. D., President, 

 in the Chair. 



Rev. Dr. Lloyd read a paper on the Meteorology of Ireland, 

 as deduced from observations made in 1851, under the direc- 

 tion of the Committee of Science. 



Rev. Dr. Drummond read the conclusion of his paper (of 

 which the following is a brief abstract) on the Achievements 

 of Magnus Barefoot, King of Norway, and of his defeat and 

 death in the field of Cobha, in Ireland, a. d. 1103. 



On the death of Olave III., King of Norway, a. d. 1093, 

 his son Magnus succeeded to the throne. His right, however, 

 being disputed, he maintained it successfully by the sword. To 

 crush the power of his enemies he made an expedition to Hal- 

 land, a district about the river Gotha. Having ravaged their 

 country and inflicted capital punishment on their leaders, he 

 returned enriched with glory and spoil. He then determined 

 to add to his dominions by foreign conquest ; instigated partly 

 by ambition, and partly, as was reported, by a vision, in which 

 he was admonished to depart from Norway, and threatened 

 with fatal consequences should he refuse. After due consul- 

 tation with his nobles, a powerful armament, consisting of 160 

 sail, was soon prepared, and in 1096 left the shores of Norway, 

 many of them never to return. Having laid waste the Ork- 

 neys and the Hebrides with fire and sword, but sparing Iona, 

 he took possession of Cantire, and thence sailed to Mann, where 

 his countrymen had formed a colony. Here he strengthened 

 their position by walls and fortifications ; and thence proceeded 

 to Anglesea, on the shores of which island he was met by an 

 armed force to oppose his landing. In. a conflict which en- 

 sued, the leader of the enemy, the Earl of Shrewsbury, was 



