ilTEKARY SOCIETY, X$S 



XIII. 



Letter from Mr, Alex. Ckombie, concerning the Culedoniun 

 Lilerury Society at Aberdeen. 



To Mr. NICHOLSON. 

 SIR, 



T, 



HE want of focleties for fcientific and literary improve- 

 ment, has been long felt in many confiderable towns in Scot- 

 land, and I believe In none more than in Aberdeen. 



The utility of fuch inftitutions being fo generally acknow- Great utility o( 

 ledged, it is truly a matter of furprize to find fo few of them ^^f^fUl^Y^H 

 in (his kingdom, efpecially when the facility of forming them rary improve- 

 is confidered. Any attempt, however fraall, to promote the ™c"'' 

 interefts of literature, and to difFufe moral, political, or philo- 

 fcjphrcal knowledge among men of all ranks, will ever meet 

 with the marked appr(;bation of the fincere vvellwiflier to his 

 country ; and I am perfuaded you will receive peculiar fatis- 

 fa6lion in being able to communicate to the public the feebleft 

 eflforts which may be at any lime dire6ted to fo important and 

 defirable an objeft. 



In your Journal for December laft, a traveller has exprefled Reference to a 

 his furprize to find no antiquarian or literary fociety, or fub- ^"^Vournar* 

 fcription library, at Aberdeen; and I agree with his remark, 

 that thole who know the refpedability of the place, cannot 

 fail to be aftonidied at it. To account for fo Angular a fa6l 

 would perhaps be deemed prefumpluous. I have too much 

 "rel'ped for my fellow-citizens to attribute it to a want of tafie, 

 but I cannot help blaming thofe amongft us who are qualified 

 for fupporting fuch inftitulions, for their want of attention in 

 this refpe6l. 



The Profeflbrs of both Univerfities certainly unite talents 

 with influence and refpe6tability, — It were to be wiflied that 

 they and other literary characters in town, had more concern 

 for the improvement of the community at large, and would 

 make fuitable efforts to promote it. 



It would be doing injuflice to the liberality of the proprie- The Athenaeoni 



tors of the Athenaeum and circulating library, to aeny thefe f"*^ ^'■'^'''"^*"S 



. tr> J y J library. 



inftitutions their refpedive merits and advantages. But I 



apprehend that neither of them is fufficient to fupply the de- 



fidcratum 



