PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 



Gentlemen, 



The time has arrived when it devolves upon me 

 to discharge the final duty pertaining to the office to which 

 you so generously elected me, for the second time, twelve 

 months ago, by addressing you upon the progress of the 

 Society during that period ; a duty with which I have pleasure 

 in complying. 



The past year has again been one of advancement ; and 

 alterations of some importance in the conduct of the affairs 

 of the Society have been made. In the first place, the nights 

 of meeting have been changed from the first and third to the 

 second and fourth Thursdays in each month. In the early 

 days of our existence, it was, I believe, the custom to meet 

 every Wednesday evening for the transaction of business ; 

 but, presumably on account of the inconvenience of such an 

 arrangement, the meetings were made fortnightly, and other 

 alterations were from time to time considered necessary, until 

 we found ourselves meeting regularly twice in each month, on 

 the first and third Thursdays. But as the membership in- 

 creased, it appeared that this selection was an unfortunate 

 one, as these particular evenings clashed most annoyingly 

 with the meetings of another and more learned Society. It 

 was therefore deemed desirable to accept the exigence of the 

 situation, and the alteration above referred to was duly 

 accomplished at the commencement of the year ; and we are 

 now, I believe, in the happy position of having meeting 

 nights that we may call practically our own. 



Then, again, the place of meeting has been changed. For 

 some time prior to the close of the previous year, it was fore- 

 seen that a shift of quarters might not be disadvantageous, if 

 suitable premises could be found. The Rooms we then occu- 

 pied were hardly so comfortable as one could wish, and 



