HISTORY 



OF THE 



SOCIETY. 



IN the original charter of the Royal Society, it was provided 

 that the collections of the Society should be deposited, if 

 belonging to Natural History, in the Museum of the Univer- 

 sity, and if to Antiquities, in the Library of the Faculty of Ad- 

 vocates. Much inconvenience, however, could hardly fail to 

 result from this arrangement, especially wh#n the researches 

 of the Society, having, as of late, been much turned to Geolo- 

 gy, it became an object to collect together the specimens 

 which served to illustrate the subjects under discussion, and to 

 have them at hand when reference should be necessary. 



In a Museum arranged with a view to public lectures, 

 (like that of the University), such an order as was required for 

 this purpose could not easily be preserved ; the Professor of 

 Natural History must feel himself interrupted by the exami- 

 nations which the Members of the Royal Society might wish 

 Yol.VI — P.IL a to 



