PREFACE. 
TN issuing the Fifth Volume of the Journal of the Trans- 
X actions of the Victobia Institute— now commencing the 
seventh year since its organization— some remarks on the 
events of the past twelve months, and on the present position 
of the Institute, will not be out of place. 
The first subject claiming notice is deeply painful, an 
demands the position assigned to it;— a few days after the 
completion of the fifth volume, its editor, Mr. James Reddie, 
suddenly passed to his rest. The Council cannot now refer 
to his death without recording its deep sense of the loss which 
the Institute has thereby sustained, and at the same time 
expressing the great honour with which it feels sure his name 
will ever be associated in its annals, not only as the Founder 
of the Institute, but as one who, uniting many literary and 
scientific attainments with untiring energy and zeal, proved 
eminently successful in contributing to the popularity and 
prosperity of this Society. 
At the time when the Institute was thus deprived of the 
valued services of its late Honorary Secretary, another circum- 
stance caused the Council considerable anxiety, viz.;— for 
some time the losses by retirement from the Society had not 
been counterbalanced by the number of those who joined. 
Now, however, the Council has to congratulate the Members 
and Associates on the progress made during the past year, 
of which the following is a short statement : 
Increase. 
Joined 
Ee joined (having retired in former years) 
Members and Associates. 
72 
19 
— 91 
Decrease. 
Eetired 
Deaths 
6 
