carries on the duties with the aid of a paid clerk; and the Council has accepted the kind offer of Mr. F. K. Shrapnell's services as a temporary Honorary Secretary in case they should be required.

3. With a view to the convenience of Members and Associates, the Reading and Writing-room, and Library, have been thrown open from ten to six o'clock, and if Members and Associates will let their friends know of this additional advantage to Subscribers which the Institute can now offer, and thus induce new members to join, it will be one of the most certain and best means of advancing the interests of the Society, and of enabling the Council to carry out its objects more fully. Although, of late, many valuable additions have been made to the Library, yet it is by no means as large as is desirable, and the Council will gladly welcome gifts of books, as well as further subscriptions for it, and, whenever the funds will warrant the outlay, new periodicals and books of reference will be obtained. The position of the Institute, being in the immediate vicinity of Charing Cross, is very convenient both for town and country members.

4. The Council has had each year the painful duty of chronicling the loss by death of Members and Associates. This year the task is of a more than usually mournful character, for it has to announce the death of the honorary secretary, the late James Reddie; and it cannot do so 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, the objects of which are among the loftiest which the student of philosophy and science can put before him." It regrets also to have to announce the decease of the following:Rev. J. H. Ballard, M.A., Second-class Associate; W. H. Elliott, Esq., Life Member; Samuel Petrie, Esq., C.B., Member.

5. The following is a statement of the changes which have occurred during the past year :

6. The Audited Balance Sheet of the Treasurer for the year ending 31st December, 1870, is appended, showing a balance in hand of £31. 11s. 5d. It will be observed that this Balance Sheet has been divided into two parts, one headed "General Account," and the other "Special Fund for Library, &c." The first exhibits a balance in hand of £14. 14s. 11d.; the second, a balance in hand of £16. 16s. 6d. The total amount now invested in the New Three per Cent. Consols is £359. 2s. 2d.

7. The arrears of subscription are now as follows:

:

representing these arrears, as some have been distinctly promised to be paid, and some are believed to be left unpaid on account of those by whom they are due being abroad: to all, the Journals have been regularly sent, for periods for which subscriptions are due, without being returned; and the Council. trusts it will be saved the painful duty of reporting any of these names as defaulters, to be struck off the rolls of the Victoria Institute. It proposes, however, that it shall be considered its duty, at discretion, to strike off the names of Members or Associates who are more than two years in arrear, and to publish such names in future Annual Reports when this course is deemed advisable.

8. The estimated ordinary assets of the Society for the current year, exclusive of arrears and of new subscribers, are as follows:

9. The following is a list of the papers for the present session, viz. :

On Dr. Newman's "Essay in Aid of a Grammar of Assent." By the Rev. C. A. Row, M.A. (Jan. 16th, 1871.)

On Archæology, with some of its Parallels and Contrasts. Illustrated with Diagrams. By the Rev. J. H. TITCOMB, M.A. (Intermediate Meeting, Jan. 30th.)

On the Evidence of the Egyptian Monuments to the Sojourn of Israel in Egypt. By the Rev. B. W. SAVILE, M.A. (Feb. 6th.)

On Phyllotaxis, or the Arrangement of Leaves in accordance with Mathematical Laws. Illustrated with Diagrams. By the Rev. G. HENSLOW, M.A. (Intermediate Meeting, Feb. 20th.)

On Biblical Pneumatology and Psychology. By the Rev. W. W. ENGLISH, M.A. (March 6th.)

On some Curiosities of Ethnology. By the Rev. J. H. TITCOMB, M.A. (Intermediate Meeting, March 20th.)

On some Scriptural Aspects of Man's Tripartite Nature. By the Rev. C. GRAHAM. (April 10th.)

On Evidences of Design in the Constitution of Nature. By E. HAUGHTON, Esq., M.D. (Intermediate Meeting, April 17th.)

On Ethnic Testimonies to the Pentateuch. By the Rev. J. H. TITCOMB, M.A. (May 1st.)

On Miracles. By the Rev. C. GRAHAM. (Intermediate Meeting, May 15th.) The Annual Address. By the Rev. W. J. IRONS, D.D. (May 22nd.)

On the High Numbers in the Pentateuch. By P. H. Gosse, Esq., F.R.S. (June 5th.)

Israel in Egypt. By the Rev. H. MOULE, M.A. (June 5th.)

10. Although the regular "ordinary" meetings during the present session have been only monthly, yet others have taken place, at which-in accordance with the fifth object of the Institute-subjects not necessarily requiring permanent record in the Journal of Transactions, were taken up in Papers or Lectures, followed by discussions. The advantage in reducing the number of "ordinary" meetings and papers this session is that henceforth the issue of the printed transactions will be more prompt.

11. The meetings of this session have been very well attended.

Publications.

12. Part 18 of the Journal of Transactions is now in the course of being printed, and will be issued next month. Nos. 19 and 20 will also be published before next session commences, completing the fifth volume of our Journal of Transactions, and the publication of all our Papers and Dis cussions up to the commencement of the present session.

Conclusion.

13. The several objects of the Institute are now being realized, and the Council expresses an earnest hope that this will give a fresh impulse to the prosperity of the Society, and lead to a large accession of new members. With comparatively small means much valuable work has been accomplished, but the numbers of the Society should be doubled, before the Council can cease to have anxieties as to the expenditure arising from the publication of a large volume of Transactions every year. Several influential persons interested in the maintenance of revealed truth, and who have freely acknowledged how much the Institute has already done, are now

beginning to join our ranks, thereby testifying to the value of the investigations of a Society which desires impartially to consider the mutual bearings of scientific conclusions, with a view to advancing true science. The Council feels that it is its duty to remind all, that the avowed enemies of Christianity know well how to concentrate their forces and to support one another by combination. As this Society can point to steady, systematic, and permanent work in opposing the false philosophy, pseudo-science, and rampant scepticism of the present time, all who feel that this has to be done, should become fellow-workers, that our field of usefulness may be still more extended, and the labours of the VICTORIA INSTITUTE. be still more successful.

Signed on behalf of the Council,

SHAFTESBURY, President.

W. N. WEST, Esq., the Honorary Treasurer, then read the Annual Balance Sheet, as follows: