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include all the four co-optatives recommended by the Society, became practically the medium of communication between the Society and the Museum Committee.

The removal of the Society in 1849 to the rooms provided for it in the Museum was the beginning of a new era in its history, Where was a great accession of members, the numbers soon rising from the former level of 90 or 100 to 150.

The Lecture Room, however, would barely seat 200, and it became necessary to limit the privileges of members in introducing friends.

For twenty years the Society kept steadily on its course, selecting its annual Presidents alternately from opposite political parties, though prohibiting political discussions on its platform; giving every season, from October to April, a course of about fifteen lectures, every one of them offered gratuitously mostly by members of the Society, and nearly all of a highly creditable character; and doing its part in a quiet way towards maintaining the higher education of the town.

But at last the interest and life of the Society began to flag, and the members to fall off. Several Presidents made spasmodic efforts to rekindle the general interest in the Society's work, but in 1870 a resolute and experienced organiser, the Rev. Robert Harley, F.R.S., was elected to the Presidential chair, and with remarkable skill and vigour completely rejuvenised the Society. Under his guidance and advice several plans previously projected or talked over were promptly carried out. It was decided to introduce into the annual course of lectures six by professional gentlemen of the highest reputation, regardless of cost; to establish an annual excursion in the month of May or June for the members and their friends; and to appoint a new officer under the title of Corresponding Secretary, who should be the prime minister of the President's government.

These, with other minor reforms, wore completely successful in restoring the Society to health and progress. The number of members increased annually. The professional lectures were inaugurated by Professor Huxley, the largest public hall in the town being taken for the occasion and well filled.

The first excursion was devoted to the Geology of Charnwood Forest, under the able guidance of Mr. James Plant, F.G.S.

Hitherto the Society has done little in the way of publication. It has issued an annual report in a pamphlet of from thirty to fifty pages, and in 1855 a volume of 380 pages was published, containing in extenso a selection of seven lectures recently delivered before the Society. This volume was presented gratuitously to every member, but the expense was about £60, and the experiment was not continued. From a very early period of its history, the publication of its Transactions has been debated at intervals, but the necessity of devoting its funds to the Museum, and the feeling that the strength of the Society did not lie in the direction of original research, always prevented it. In 1875, however, it was resolved to collect the early recurs of the Society's work, and to publish them in brief abstract, in parts, to be issued at intervals until the current date was reached.