Burnley j^iterary and philosophical >Society. 



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\LilE Society was founded in the year 1893, the objects of the founders being stated in No. 2 of 

 its Ee-^istored Ruios as follow : — " The objects of the Society shall be to meet at stated times 

 for the discussion of Literary, Scientific, Antiquarian or Artistic subjects and to promote the 

 atudv of the same. In all cases preference shall be given to the local bearings of these subjects. The 

 Committee shall have power to accept the help of others than Members, but no one shall be allowed 

 to introduce party politics or rehgious controversies. The Committee shall also have power to accept 

 gifts on behalf of the Society and to make arrangements for visits to places of interest." 



In the first Annual Report there occurs the following passage:— 



" The Society has been the means of bringing together a number of men from all parts of the town 

 " who are interested in IJotany, in Geology, in Conchology, in Zoology, and in many other branches 

 " of Natural History, as well as others who are interested in Literature and Archffiological studies." 



In the second year of the Society's work there were 50 Members, and that number has now 

 risen to 140. 



From October to April of each year since the institution of the Society weekly meetings have 

 been held, and in that period over 250 Papers and Lectures have been given before the Members. 

 During the same period the Members of the Society have rendered much assistance to the various 

 young men's Societies and Associations in Burnley and District by giving Papers on Scientific and 

 Literary subjects. The Society has steadily kept before itself the duty of developing intercourse 

 between the various Societies in the town, and in furtherance of this view has striven to provide 

 Lectures or readers of Papers for the various Schools whenever appealed to. In the same way much 

 has been done to bring some of the Natural History Societies in our district in touch with one 

 another, and with several of them joint rambles and exchange of Lectures have annually taken place. 

 In 1898 the Society bad the honour of being invited to take part in the movement which 

 resulted in the holding of the International Congress of Zoology in England for the first time, a 

 Congress which brought together from aU parts of the world a large number of men who are distin- 

 guished for their knowledge and investigations in Biological Science. 



The Members of the Society have done considerable work which yet remains to be presented to 

 the public. In the domain of Natural History, specimens of all our land and freshwater shells have 

 been collected, and a list has been published. In addition to the shells, a list of moths ond butter- 

 flies to be found in our district is to be published shortly, as is also a list of birds-both native and 

 migratory. A Flora of Burnley has also been compiled, and this, too, it is intended to publish early 

 in 1902. Other branches of Natural History are also receiving attention, the result of which it is 

 hoped will be a fairly complete guide for the ever-increasing number of students in our midst as well 

 as a full and accurate record of each department of our local Natural History. In this connection it 

 inay be noted that one of the Members has recently contributed a series of Papers to the columns of 



e Ouraiej Ex,,ra, (one of our local journals) dealing with the Geology of the Burnley Basin. It 

 IS intended to issue these in book form at an earl, date, as it is felt by local Geologists that something 

 lii needed which shall serve to meet the requirements of Burnley Geologists in the same way that 



iJolton s Geology of Rossendale " does-a work which was also written by a Member of this Sodety. 



