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of Edinburgh, Session 1870 - 71 . 
drawbacks to fche efficiency and influence of our Society, and the 
possibility of counteracting these. 
When our Royal Society was established, now nearly ninety 
years ago, no other society devoted to literature or to science 
existed in Edinburgh. It was therefore natural and right that 
the Society should embrace, among its objects, all the depart- 
ments of knowledge which were then known, or were beginning to 
be cultivated. 
The rapid extension of different sciences soon rendered it im- 
possible for one society to give due attention to all these, or to 
assist investigators in each, to the full extent that they desired. 
Hence separate societies came to be formed, devoted to parti- 
cular sciences ; and these societies were naturally joined by many 
persons who, but for them, would have probably become members 
of our Royal Society. 
What has been the consequence? We have in Edinburgh, and 
our other large towns, very many institutions, both literary and 
scientific, which are strong in membership; and even in our pro- 
vinces, we have societies and clubs, devoted to botany, geology, 
zoology, and archaeology, some of which also possess a large staff 
of members. 
Let me enumerate the membership of some of the Edinburgh 
societies : — 
The Medico- Chirurgical Society, instituted 1821, 
has about 300 Members. 
The Philosophical Institution, about . . 2000 „ 
The Geological Society, instituted in 1834, has 180 Ordinary Members. 
The Royal Physical Society, .... 250 „ „ 
The Botanical Society, instituted 1836, . . 360 „ „ 
The Arboricultural Society, .... 500 „ „ 
The Society of Antiquaries, .... 300 „ „ 
The Royal Society of Arts, instituted 1821, has 420 „ ,, 
The Meteorological Society, instituted 1856, . 600 „ „ 
With regard to provincial societies, I may mention that Sir 
Walter Elliot* of Wolfelee has lately been making out a list 
of Natural History Societies and Field Clubs, existing not 
* The list here referred to will be found in an address delivered by Sir 
Walter Elliot to the Botanical Society of Edinburgh on 10th November 1870 ; 
and is to be printed in that Society’s Transactions for 1870-71. 
