11 
of Edinburgh^ Session 1862 - 63 . 
The Physical Class included Joseph Black, Clerk of Eldin, 
Sir John Dalrymple (Lord Hailes), James G-regory, James Hutton, 
John Playfair, Dugald Stewart, Lords Bute and Dundonald, Sir 
James Hall, James Watt, Dr Small of Dundee, Patrick Wilson ; and 
in the Literary Class we find the Lord President, Chief Baron, and 
Lord Advocate, John Home, David Hume, Henry Mackenzie, Alex- 
ander Tytler (Lord Woodhouselee), the Duke of Buccleuch, Archi- 
bald Alison, Dr Beattie, Edmund Burke, Lord Morton, Lord 
Hopetoun, John Hunter of St Andrews, Thomas Keid, Young of 
Glasgow, Dalzel, and Mr (afterwards Sir Kobert) Liston. The 
earliest meetings of the Boyal Society (as well as that of its incor- 
poration) took place in the University Library. A large subscrip- 
tion towards the erection of the New College was made by the 
Society, on the understanding that the Society should be accommo- 
dated within its walls ; and space was actually allotted on the 
north side of the building. How this was frustrated I do not know. 
The formal meetings continued to take place usually in the same 
place (the Library), at least until 1808, with an occasional substi- 
tution of the Physicians’ Hall. In 1810, the Society purchased 
a house, No. 40 George Street, where they were accommodated 
’Until 1826; when they removed to the rooms which they still 
occupy, under a lease from Government, in the Eoyal Institution 
Building in Princes Street. 
I proceed to trace rapidly the fortunes of the Society, which 
almost on the very day that I address you has completed the 
eightieth year of its existence. 
The first President was the Duke of Buccleuch. He was suc- 
ceeded in 1812 by Sir James Hall, who, resigning in 1820, was 
followed by Sir Walter Scott. On the death of the latter in 1832, 
Sir Thomas Makdougall Brisbane filled his place, to be succeeded 
at his decease in 1860 by the Duke of Argyll. Thus we have the 
remarkable and very unusual fact, that the first four presidencies 
endured over seventy-seven years. The chief secretaryship has in 
the same period been held by only five individuals, of whom but 
two were removed by death. 
The earliest period of the Eoyal Society, and also the earliest 
volumes of its Transactions, were marked by the efficiency of the 
literary department. The first two volumes show a substantial if 
