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of Edinburgh^ Session 1864 - 65 . 
promote the interests of science, is the adjudication of prizes to its 
successful cultivators. The first bequest to us for this purpose 
was made by the late Mr Keith of Eavelston (long an office-bearer, 
and occasionally a contributor to our Transactions), who left 
L.600 to found a biennial prize for the most important discovery 
in science made in any part of the world, but communicated by 
its author to the Eoyal Society of Edinburgh, and published in its 
Transactions.” 
In 1855, Sir Thomas Macdougall Brisbane, when President of the 
Society, gave L.400 to found a biennial prize of L.30 to promote 
any branch of science to which the President and Council might 
devote it; and in the following year Dr Patrick Keill bequeathed 
L.500 to found a biennial or triennal prize, to be adjudicated to 
the most distinguished Scottish naturalist. These prizes have been 
gained by some individuals not Fellows of the Society, and have 
procured for our Transactions many valuable communications which 
they would not otherwise have obtained. 
Unwilling to allow their prizes to remain unappropriated, it has 
been the practice of some societies to adjudicate them occasionally, 
contrary to the conditions imposed by the deed of foundation. 
Such a proceeding cannot be too carefully avoided. It is injurious 
to the society, by preventing the accumulation of the fund. It is 
unjust to future competitors, who would otherwise have received a 
richer prize. It diminishes the importance of the prize by its too 
frequent adjudication ; and it prevents the wealthy patrons of 
science from intrusting money to an institution that does not re- 
spect the conditions upon which it is given. 
In calling your attention to some of the leading features in the 
history of the Society, I cannot avoid expressing the regret which 
has been very generally felt at the discontinuance of those bio- 
graphical memoirs of distinguished members, which, during the 
secretaryship of Professor Playfair, formed such an interesting por- 
tion of our Transactions. I take to myself some blame, that 
when I held the same office, no memoir of Dugald Stewart, Pro- 
fessor Playfair, and Sir James Hall should have been communi- 
cated to the Society ; and the only apology I can offer is, that the 
researches in which I was engaged were too engrossing to admit 
of any other occupation. The evil, however, may yet be remedied, 
