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mie des Infcriptiones et des Belles Lettres, and the Academie Françoife.

"In England, two literary focieties are established, the Royal Society, and the Society of Antiquaries. But, in the other kingdoms of Europe, it has been judged more expedient to inflitute only one literary fociety, to which the cultivation of all the different branches of fcience, erudition, and tafte, is committed. This is the conftitution of the Academies of Berlin, Gottingen, St Petersburgh, &c. Scotland ought not to form its literary plans upon the model of the more extenfive kingdoms in Europe, but in imitation of thefe which are more circumfcribed. Every perfon acquainted with the state of fcience and literature among us, must allow that one Society is fully fufficient for the reception of all who are entitled to be members of it.

"If it would be improper to multiply literary focieties in a narrow country, the impropriety of multiplying separate public collections, either in the line of antiquities or of natural hiftory, is ftill more evident. Scotland may furnish one good collection in each of thefe departments. The library of the Faculty of Advocates has been, during a century, the repofitory of every thing that tends to illuftrate the hiftory, the antiquities, and the laws of this country. The collection is very confiderable, though ftill far from being complete. By its fituation, it is eafily acceffible to the courts of juftice, and to the practitioners at the bar. It is humbly fubmitted, whether an attempt to form a new and rival collection, be a measure prudent, expedient, and of advantage to the public.

"The Mufaeum of the Univerfity of Edinburgh contains thofe objects of natural history which are exhibited by the profeffor of that branch of fcience to his ftudents, and are illuftrated by him in the course of his lectures. This profefforfhip was inftituted and endowed by his prefent Majefty, and will be of great utility in perfecting the plan of education in this Univerfity. It appears to the Senatus Academicus, that the establishment of another public Mu

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faeum would not only intercept the communication of many specimens and objects which would otherwife have been depofited in the Mufaeum of the University; but may induce and enable the Society of Antiquaries to inftitute a lectureship of natural hiftory, in oppofition to the profefforship in the University. This there is greater reason to apprehend, as a motion was made in that Society, foon after its inftitution, to appoint one of their own number a lecturer in natural history; and, though the measure was over-ruled at that time, by the exertion of gentlemen friendly to the University; yet, fuch a difpoûtion appears in other members of that Society, that it may again be refumed.

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It is therefore propofed, that, inftead of granting a charter to the Scots Antiquaries, as a feparate Society, that a Society shall be established by charter upon a more extensive plan, which may be denominated, The Royal Society of Scotland,' and shall have for its object all the various departments of fcience, erudition, and belles lettres.

"That a certain number of persons, refpectable for their rank, their stations, or their knowledge, fhall be named by the Royal Charter, with powers to choose the original members of the Society, and to frame regulations for conducting their inquiries and proceedings, and for the future election of members.

"That, whatever collection of antiquities, records, MSS. &c. fhall be acquired by this Royal Society, fhall be deposited in the library of the Faculty of Advocates, and all the objects of natural history acquired by it, fhall be depofited in the Mufaeum of the University of Edinburgh, fo as both may be moft acceffible to the members of the Society, to the public, and of moft general utility.

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Signed in name, and by appointment of the Senatus Academi

WILLIAM ROBERTSON, Principal."

To.

"To the Right Honourable the Lord Advocate of Scotland, Memorial of the Philofophical Society of Edinburgh.

"An affociation was long ago formed in this city, for promoting natural knowledge, and confifted of several persons of this country, diftinguished for their learning and abilities, and foreigners of the greatest eminence. This Society is fufficiently known over all Europe, by the name of the Philofophical Society of Edinburgh; and its reputation fo well established by means of its publications under the title of Philofophical and Literary Effays, that persons of the greatest eminence in the republic of letters, think it an honour to . be members, and are careful to publish their title in the front of their works.

"The Society flatter themselves, that your Lordship will judge their inftitution not unworthy of the protection of a government distinguished by its encouragement of literary exertions; and, relying on the zeal with which your Lordship promotes every measure conducive to the honour and interefts of this country, they had refolved to request your Lordship's patronage to an application for a Royal Charter to erect them into a body corporate; but they are informed that the University of Edinburgh have transmitted to your Lordship a memorial, containing a proposal for establishing, by Royal Charter, a Society in Edinburgh, on the model of those in St Petersburgh and Berlin, for the more general purpose of cultivating every branch of science, erudition, and tafte. The philofophical Society are sensible of the superior advantages of fuch an establishment; and, being guided by no partial views, are very willing to make a part of fo useful a body, hoping, by this means, to reap the advantages of a more general communication of knowledge than their present inftitution can promise.

"Withing

Wishing, therefore, to join their labours in a general literary cffort, the Philofophical Society humbly prefume to recommend themfelves to your Lordship's patronage, in full confidence, that, if the proposed general inftitution shall be honoured with your Lordship's approbation and fupport, the interefts and purposes of their affociation will meet with that attention to which their prefent fhare of public estimation feems to give them an equitable claim.

Edinburgh, Dec. 14. 1782.

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WILLIAM CULLEN, V. P.

Copy Letter from fome of the Curators of the Advocates Library.

My LORD.

"Being informed that the Society of Antiquaries here have applied to his Majefty for a Royal Charter, and it having been fuggested that this inftitution may prove hurtful to the Library of the Faculty of Advocates, of which we are the prefent curators, we have thought it our duty to take the matter under confideration.

"For a century paft, the Advocates Library has been the general repofitory of the ancient manufcripts and monuments illuftrating the history and antiquities of Scotland, where they may be confidered as under the immediate protection of the College of Juftice, of which our Society forms a principal branch, and where they are at all times eafily acceffible to the practitioners of the law, as well as to any others that may have occafion to infpect them. To form a separate and rival repofitory, which is intended by the prefent Antiquarian Society, is not only unneceffary but inexpedient, as one effect of it must be to divide, and put under different management, valuable manufcripts which ought to be together, and in one and the fame collection.

"These confiderations appear to us of great weight, and we are alfo informed, that a plan has been propofed for establishing a Royal Society,

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Society, upon a more enlarged footing, and which, while it will promote inquiries regarding our history and antiquities, may, at the fame time, be fo conducted, as not to interfere, in any degree, with the Advocates Library. In these circumstances, we apprehend that the whole business is of fuch confequence to the Faculty of Advocates, and to the public, as to make it proper, at least to apply for a delay in granting any Royal Charter to the Society of Antiquaries, till the matter fhall be fully and deliberately confidered. We, therefore, think it our duty to request your Lordship that you will be fo good as to use your interest for this purpose. And we have the honour to be,

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To these caveats the following answer was made, by order of the Society, in the form of a Memorial, addreffed to the Lord Advocate, which was sent to his Lordship on the 18th of February.

"To the Right Honourable the Lord Advocate of Scotland, Memorial for the Society of Scottish Antiquaries.

"The Society of the Antiquaries of Scotland was inftituted in the year 1780. The noblemen and gentlemen who originally formed this affociation, as well as every person who loved his country, had long obferved, with regret, that though Scotland gives birth to many learned and ingenious men, their pursuits, in various departments of literature were circumfcribed and retarded, by not poffeffing fome advantages enjoyed by other polished nations. In these

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