ward the expectations of the public, and to give the Society a firm and useful establishment.

"I flatter myself, therefore, that a Society, confifting of between two and three hundred perfons, many of whom are bleffed with the gifts of fortune, will not permit themfelves to be accused of fordid inattention to the pecuniary intereft of a community, which, by their membership, they have, as it were, pledged themselves to the public to uphold, and whofe honour is thereby involved in their

own.

''

"I have not followed the example of the Jewish lawyers myself, but have come forth, from the beginning, to throw my annual mite into the Treasury. Let others, better able by their circumftances of fortune, do as I have done, and the Society will flourish.

"I come now to obferve, that, from the increase of the Society's effects, repofitories were found wanting to accommodate our collection, and that our Secretary had no proper office for the furtherance of our business. You were pleased to give orders for removing thefe inconveniencies; and the neceffary operations for that purpose are now set on foot.

"The printed account of the inftitution, and progress of this Society, which, at your defire, was published by Mr Smellie, has found its way into the literary circle. Copies of it have been prefented, in your name, to many of your honorary members, and to those who had stept forth to patronife the Society; and I am happy to learn that it has had fome effect in promoting the intereft of the community from which it came.

"The public, however, feem to expect fome more fubftantial proofs of your importance; and it becomes neceffary for us to caufe fuch a felection to be made of the tranfactions of the Society, and of fuch curious or ufeful papers, as have found their way into your repofitories, and fhall, after a judicious and careful examination, be deemed fit for its eye..

"For this purpose, it will be neceffary that, in the course of the enfuing winter, your Council and Cenfors apply themfelves to fatisfy the learned world with a chafte, felect, and interefting volume of original papers, which may have the happy effect of adding both to the reputation of the Society, and of the country to which it belongs.

"I fhould now proceed to enumerate a few of the most important communications which have been made to the Society fince the laft meeting to celebrate the anniverfary of their formation, were it not, that I apprehend, that thofe whofe zeal was equal, but their portunities unequal, to the foremost of our benefactors, might juftly regret a display which might give a fuperior luftre to the fons of

fortune.

op

"I cannot, however, avoid mentioning the valuable collection of Oriental money, and other curious particulars, prefented by an honourable member of the Society, who will, I am perfuaded, not limit his benevolence to this inftance of his attention to the interests of fo popular an undertaking.

"From another honourable member, to whom the public looks forward as to the contingent reprefentative of one of the most illuftrious families in Scotland, we have received a very valuable collection of medals, Scots and English money, and various dresses of foreign countries.

"From the Reverend Doctor Abernethy-Drummond, we have lately received the whole manufcripts of the celebrated hiftorian and poet, William Drummond of Hawthornden, confifting of thirteen volumes, which donation, fo generously bestowed, will, I hope, be exemplary, and productive of fimilar exertions, in favour of the republic of letters, through the channel of this Society.

"The lift of donations prefented to the Society, fince the publication of your Catalogue in May laft, makes a very refpectable appearance; and I am forry, from the rule I have impofed upon myself,

to

to be deprived of the fatisfaction I fhould have had in the mention of names.

"The gift of Doctor Abernethy-Drummond being immediately on our table, and recently prefented with peculiar generofity, has forced me to report it as part of the ordinary bufinefs of the day.

Having now, My Lords, and Gentlemen, performed the retrofpective duty of this day, I defire to exprefs my anxious hope, that the future and increasing zeal of the members of this Society, and of the country, in promoting the laudable objects which we have in view, will enable us to become more and more refpectable, and that this new and useful literary affociation will produce men within itself capable of forwarding the intereft of the community, and of increasing the literary fame of a country hitherto untried in the departments, to promote the elucidation of which we have come together.

"I have observed, with concern, that, when the pleasure arising from the novelty of our undertaking had paffed, few were disposed to contribute to the intereft or welfare of the Society; but that many, from whom I expected better things, have contented themselves with the amusement of paffively attending our meetings, without ftudying the nature of our undertaking, or attempting to enable the Society to avail itself of public confidence to weather the ftorms -which arise from the blast of envy, or to watch over the diseases to which infancy is so subject.

"I flatter myself, however, that the unabating zeal which I have fhewn for the profperity of the Society, will bring forth others, fitter than I am, to undertake fo arduous a task.

"Thefe are the official heirs by whom I wish to be reprefented; and when I can have the happiness to behold fuch, arrived to the maturity of action, and to the fitness of fucceffion, I defire no longer to touch Society, or to obtrude myself on the public.

"My

My imagination, kindled by the fparks brought from the altar. of patriotifm, which has burnt too much of late in Britain with the fatuous flame of felf-interested zeal, excites in my mind the pleafing phantoms of future profperity to this Society, and the verification of my dreams in behalf of my country. I fhall continue iny zeal to the laft; and, when the thread of my life fhall be cut by Him, in whofe view there are no antiquities, and to whom the ages of ages are but as yesterday, congenial fpirits will, I hope, delight to hover round this chair, and excite the perfon who fhall fit in it to infpire his countrymen with zeal for the caufe of virtue, liberty, and useful learning; liften to the mufic which lifts the grovelling foul to heaven, or ride on the fparkling wave of a patriot bumper, filled at your fympofium, to the memory of fome great benefactor to his country, fome ftrenuous defender of the rights of humanity, or fome virtuous Sage, who fhall have taught mankind the road to the ftars, and to immortality."

With a view to remove the difference which had arifen between the Principal of the University and the Society of Antiquaries, concerning the oppofition to their charter, the Lord Advocate recommended that the Earl of Buchan and the Principal fhould have a conference on the fubject. The parties met accordingly. But, inftead of dropping the oppofition, the Principal informed Lord Buchan, that he was to call a meeting of the whole Profeffors, in order to procure their fanction to his conduct.

On the 6th of January 1783, the Lord Advocate tranfmitted to the Secretary of the Society a copy of the caveat entered by the university against the paffing of their charter, together with a memorial from the Philofophical Society of Edinburgh, and a letter from four of the Curators of the Advocate's Library, addreffed to the Lord Advocate, with the fame intention. Copies of each of these papers are subjoined.

"Memorial

"Memorial for the Principal and Profeffors of the University of Edinburgh.

"The Society of Scottish Antiquaries, inftituted here in the year 1780, has two different objects, the antiquities of this country, and its natural history: In order to profecute the study of these, they have opened a Mufaeum for the reception of records, charters, and other monuments, tending to illuftrate the history and antiquities of Scotland; and also for collecting the various objects of natural hiftory. They have lately applied for a charter from the crown, in order to give them the permanency and privileges of a body corporate.

"The Senatus Academicus, though sensible of the good intention with which the Society of Antiquaries was inftituted, and though they entertain an high respect for many of its members, are fully perfuaded, that a literary fociety may be formed on a plan more favourable to the progress of science and literature in Scotland, more fuited to the state of the country, and more confiftent with the interest of the University, and which they have good reason to believe will meet with the approbation of many respectable members of the Antiquarian Society. In countries of great extent, and where knowledge is much diffused, a confiderable variety of literary focieties may be established with advantage, and each pursue its separate object with ardour and success: But narrow countries do not admit of fuch a fubdivifion. There the intereft of science and literature is more effectually promoted by one general fociety, which has for its object the various departments of philofophý, erudition, and taste. The reasons of this difference in management are obvious, and the practice and experience of Europe, during a hundred years, prove that they are well founded. Upon the first establishment of literary focieties in the last century, France was in a condition to form three numerous and diftinct ones, the Academie des Sciences, the Acade