WHAT MADE THE INSTITUTE POSSIBLE. 



By Leonard Kip, President. 

 [Read before the Albany Institute, October 5, 1886.] 

 It was a cherished project of our late president. Dr. Murray, to inau- 

 gurate and bring to completion a series of papers relating to the history 

 of Albany. In a careful and elaborate article presented by him a few 



much minuteness and research; and itfis safe to say^hat if his plan 

 could have been fully carried .nit. it would have resulted in the publi- 

 cation of a volume which would have been of great value to the city 



reputation of our association. Perhaps one of Dr. Murray's most lively 

 regrets at being obliged, through ill-health, to retire from his office, 

 may have come from having lost the opportunity of personally super- 

 intending to its proper result, a work in which he had shown himself 

 so warmly interested. 



During the few months in which I have occupied Dr. Murray's place 

 as his successor, I have endeavored fully to carry out his conception, 

 and, as far as possible, in the way he had projected it. But it was 



great dell of close research. Added P to this^moreover, I discovered 

 that the somewhat exhaustive nature of the city's bi-centenary had fa- 

 tigued the minds of many with the contemplation of our history and 

 antiquities, predisposing them to turn for relief to other topics, which 

 might afford rest and variety. Yet still, among those whom I have 

 approached upon the subject, I have found a few members who have 

 been willing to select from Dr. Murray's comprehensive programme 

 subjects adapted to their professional or scientific studies; and who, in 

 due time will give us the benefit of their research in papers which 

 doubtless will not only gratify our sense of taste and fitness, but will 

 stand upon our transactions as valuable additions to our local history. 



