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mond having been re-elected president in 1827, after that office 

 had been held for five years by the Rev. Dr. Hincks. The 

 prospectus is evidently a very carefully prepared composition. 

 Commencing with an account of the origin, aims, and objects 

 of the society, it states that, from the original eight members in 

 1821, its numbers had then, in 1829, increased to sixty-one; 

 and an appeal is made to the public spirit of the townspeople, 

 to aid in the erection of the projected building, arguing that 

 the benefits conferred by such institutions are two-sided, i.e., to 

 the advantage both of the public and the society. The Northern 

 Whig newspaper of the time, then, as ever since, in the fore- 

 front of enlightenment and progress, noticed this effort on the 

 part of the young society very favourably. " We have re- 

 ceived," it said, " much pleasure from a circular lately issued 

 by the Natural History Society of this town ;" and, after giving 

 some extracts from the circular, the Whig continued : " After 

 having thus sketched the progress and objects of the society, 

 the circular proceeds in the following truly philosophical man- 

 ner." Whereupon follow further extracts, the Whig conclud- 

 ing as follows : — " Collections of this nature are now (i.e. in 

 1829) to be found in most of the Continental cities, and in the 

 principal towns of the sister kingdoms, and when we consider 

 that Belfast is inferior to none in its liberality and public spirit, 

 we are convinced that no difficulty will be experienced in col- 

 lecting the funds necessary for so desirable an object." On 

 13th May "a conversation took place on the subject of the 

 intended building for a Museum," and it was unanimously 

 resolved that five gentlemen named be appointed a committee, 

 with instructions to conclude a bargain for a piece of ground in 

 College Square North for that purpose. Nothing further on 

 the subject appears till 21st October, when we find a record 

 approving of the action of the committee in calling a general 

 meeting of the subscribers for the following day ; and at the 

 meeting so held, William Tennent, Esq. was elected treasurer, 

 and a committee of fifteen subscribers was appointed " to deter- 

 mine on a plan, to receive estimates, and take such other mea- 

 sures as may be necessary for the erection of the building." 



