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Art, XXI I . — Account of the EsiabliAtment of a Scientific 
Prize hy the late Alexa^'der Keith, Esq. of Dunottar. In 
a Letter froin the Trustees to Sir Walter Scott, Bart. 
P. R. S. E. 
In the month of January 1819, the late Mr Keith of Dun- 
ottar, intimated to me his resolution of leaving, the sum of 
L. 1000 for promoting the interests of Science in Scotland, and 
at the same time requested me to take charge of this donation. 
In expressing my warm acquiescence in his views, I transmitted 
to him a general idea of the manner in which the legacy might 
be most advantageously applied ; and I had afterwards various 
personal communications with him relative to this subject. Upon 
his death, which took place on the S6th February 1819, it was 
found that he had left the preceding sum, under the charge of 
his heir, the present Sir Alexander Keith, his nephew Mr James 
Keith, and myself. 
The mode of appropriating the greater part of the legacy, 
will be seen from the following letter to Sir Walter Scott, Baro- 
net, Presjfenf of the Royal Society, and from the resolution of 
the President ^i^d Council annexed to it. 
D.B, 
Gentlemen, 
“ It is no doubt already known to you, that the late Alex- 
ander Keith, Esq. of Dunottar, bequeathed the sum of L. 1000 
for the purpose of promoting the interests of Science in Scot- 
land. Having been appointed Trustees for the Management of 
this Fund, we have endeavoured to appropriate it in the most 
advantageous manner for the advancement of Science ; and we 
have the satisfaction of stating, that the plan which has been 
adopted met with the special approbation of Mr Keith himself, 
to whom it was communicated previous to his death. 
As the Royal Society of Edinburgh is the principal Scienti- 
fic Establishment in Scotland, we hereby offer to its President 
and Council the sum of L. 600 ; the principal of which shall 
on no account be encroached upon, while the interest shall form 
a Biennial Prize, for the most important discoveries in Science, 
made in any part of the World, but communicated by their 
author to the Royal Society, and published for the first time in 
their Transactions. 
