4 
begun and advanced far forward, under the kind superintendence of 
Mr Keith Johnston. 
The importance of what has thus been done for the Library, and 
the value of the collection of hooks now in the Society’s possession, 
cannot be well appreciated until the publication of the Catalogue, 
which has been in hand for a longer period than many Members may 
have thought necessary. It is only those who have been themselves 
engaged in making a Catalogue that can estimate the time required 
to carry through such an undertaking well ; and to them the time 
which has been found requisite will not appear too great. When 
the present Assistant Curator was appointed to his office last year, 
the Catalogue was actually in type ; but in so unsatisfactory a con- 
dition, that what had been done may be said to have since been all 
done over again. During last year it has been almost entirely re- 
constructed, and much extended ; it will be found now, as the Coun- 
cil believe, correct, complete, and worthy of the Society ; and it is 
ready, or nearly so, for publication. The Council, in noticing the 
completion of this important labour, cannot express too highly the 
sense they entertain of the services of Dr Lawson, who has applied 
himself to the task put before him with a zeal, diligence, method, 
and ability, which lead the Council to congratulate themselves and the 
Society on the choice which was made in appointing him. 
While we may survey, as it appears to me with some satisfaction, 
these labours of our Society during last session, I will nevertheless 
take the liberty of observing that, on casting my eye down the List 
of Fellows which was put before us all, according to custom, at the late 
annual election of Office-Bearers, it did occur to me to wonder, that 
so long a catalogue of names, well known in literature and science, 
should not have produced even more materials for upholding the 
character and title of the Boyal Society of Edinburgh. This list 
comprises 289 individuals, of whom eighty-nine may be truly con- 
sidered to be engaged in the pursuit of science, and twenty -four in that 
of literature ; and of the former class there are at least forty-nine, of 
the latter thirteen, resident in Edinburgh, or not far from it, who have 
already shown, by their writings and inquiries, that they are well able 
to maintain and forward the prosperity of literature and science. 
I will not pretend to inquire into the causes which, for a few 
years past, have somehow or another lessened the interest of the 
