116 Proceedings of the Mad. Lit. Socy. [no. 1, new series, 
X. Proceedings of the Madras Literary Society and AiixiU- 
ary of the Royal Asiatic Society. 
Thursday Evening^ October 9, 1856. 
Tlie Hon'ble Walter Elliot, President, in the chair. Read 
extract of a letter from H. Cleghoen Esq., :m. d., dated 11th 
September 1856. 
I take this opportunity of submitting for the consideration of the Committee, 
some passing thoughts as to the urgent want of a good Library of reference in 
Madras, a want equally felt, I believe, in the oihef^ Presidency Towna of India. 
The advance of education and the increased attention bestowed upon Statistical 
and Scientific enquiries, renders the possession of standard works for referenc® 
an imperative necessity. The arrival of many able men in India, who have de- 
Toted much time and attention to particular branches of science has greatly in- 
creased the demand for books, and the supply has to a certain extent kept place 
with the demand ; but still there is no place in Madras where a student can find 
the information required in many enquiries of every day occurrence. Standard 
works on many branches of science are with difficulty obtained for reference. 
The Medical College and Medical Society having formed their books into one col- 
lection, the aggregate exhibits a fair professional Library. The Corps of Engi- 
neers and Artillery have each a gooi well selected Library relating to their re- 
spective Departments. The Clerical Society has I believe a Theological Depot- 
At the Club House there is a considerable collection of works upon Miscellaneous 
Literature. The Literary Society alone has a large General Library containing 
(crowded together in a small area and scarcely in a c nsultable state) almost all 
the more interesting works of Travels, History, Science, and Antiquity, but the 
Society like the sister in Calcutta has almost ceased to purchase the more expen- 
sive publications of the day, and by necessity devotes the greater portion of its 
fluctuating income to works of an ephemeral nature, because they are in special 
demand by the bulk of Subscribers, while the Chemist, the Naturalist, the Archoe- 
ologist, and the Statist have no means of keeping up to the level of the day, and 
have no means of knowing the discoveries which have been and are being record- 
ed, unless they are able and willing to purchase largely from their own resources, 
and there are few who are in a position to do this. 
Resolved, with reference to Dr. Cleghorn's letter, that 10 per 
cent, of the Society's funds be set apart for the purchase of stand- 
ard works on scientific subjects. 
The Secretary communicated to the Meeting, the result of a Cir- 
cular issued in May last, and forwarded to all the Stations in the 
