5 
ORDINARY MEETING, January 3, 1870. 
James Reddie, Esq., Honorary Secretary, in the Chair. 
The Minutes of last Meeting were read and confirmed, and the presenta- 
tion of the following books was reported : — 
“ Handbook of the Year 1868.” From Messrs. Wyman & Sons. 
“ Decandolle’s Botany.” (18 yoIs.) From Dr. Fraser 
Saturday Beview. (From the commencement, in 28 vols.) 
From J. Beddie, Esq. 
The Chairman. — Before calling on the Rev. Mr. Titcomb to read his paper 
on the “ Origin of the Negro,” I beg leave to congratulate the Society upon the 
fact that we take our place to-night in our new rooms. It must not however 
be supposed that we have got everything perfectly in order. The seats w e 
now have are only temporary seats, and there will have to be other alterations 
in our arrangements ; but I am sure that all those who are in the habit of 
attending our meetings must feel that we have made a change decidedly for 
the better. Bye-and-bye, this room will be opened as a reading-room, and we 
have had the promise of several periodicals which will be laid on the table ; 
and I hope that our members in town as well as those in the country may 
find this a convenient place for meeting. I am sorry that I am again com- 
pelled to occupy the chair this evening. I had hoped that Mr. Mitchell 
would have made his reappearance among us on this occasion, when we are 
taking our place in our new premises, tie wrote to me to say that he hoped 
to do so, but he had made a mistake of a week, and as he is busy reorgan- 
izing his new parish of Purton he will not be able to be with us to-night. 
At our next meeting I hope he will be able to take the chair. 
The Rev. Mr. Titcomb then read the following paper : — 
THE ORIGIN OF THE NEGRO : AN INQUIR Y INTO 
THE DERIVATION OF THE NEGRO RAGE FROM 
OUR OWN PRIMEVAL STOCK. By the Rev. J. H. 
Titcomb, M.A., M.V.I. 
1. A MONG all those physical varieties by which the human 
family is marked off into separate branches, none are 
more peculiar and none more difficult to account for than 
those which distinguish the Negroes. To say that these people 
are unlike any other division of mankind would not be enough. 
