PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

LIVERPOOL

LITERARY AND PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY.

ANNUAL MEETING-FIFTY-FOURTH SESSION.

ROYAL INSTITUTION, OCTOBER 3rd, 1864.

J. A. PICTON, Esq., President, in the Chair.

The minutes having been read and signed, the Chairman congratulated the members upon their once again meeting for business, and called upon the HONORARY SECRETARY to read the following

REPORT.

The Council of the Literary and Philosophical Society have to report a continued steady improvement in the position and prospects of the Society. Whether as regards the increase of its numbers, or of the interest taken in its proceedings, there is ample evidence that the Society is in an excellent working condition. During the past Session there has been no falling off in the attendence at its meetings, nor in the character of the papers presented and read, while the discussions which they have elicited have been no less animated and interesting than heretofore. The condition of the Society, indeed, must appear to those who carefully watch its progress

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to be highly satisfactory; and they would urge upon members, who have its welfare at heart, the desi separate, as well as of united effort, to continue th improvement

The fist of the Society, though steadily increasingl yet reached that development which we might hope so populous a town. Notwithstanding, however, the from the roll, at the commencement of the present Se a number of names (by the operation of the laws), the total shews an advance upon previous years. The lis in the last volume of proceedings included 175 n ordinary members, of whom 28 were life membe resignation (9), removal (3), or death (2), we have these 14; against which we have to place 25 members during the past Session, making a total of 186, from if we deduct 28 life members, we have a balance members, whose subscriptions form the income of the 36 honorary members and 7 associates increase th list to 229.

The funds of the Society show a corresponding in and whereas four years since they were gradually but depreciating, the year's expenses leaving a balance due Treasurer, at the present time the Society's income only sufficient for the ordinary expenditure without but extraordinary expenses have been undertaken. Treasurer has in hand a reserved fund of £200 (invest dock bonds), which produces an interest varying from £10 per annum, and this, added to the income arising subscriptions and entrance fees, and amounting to £185, leaves him a considerable balance after they expenses are paid, and which will be added to the rese fund.

During the past year we have lost by death two ordi and two honorary members. Of the first was Mr. Tho

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Rigge, solicitor, who died January 17th, 1864. He had been ten years a member of the Society. The other was Mr. John Faram, who died in May last. He had been a member since December, 1847, and although latterly not often seen at the Society's meetings, he had formerly taken an active part in them, and read several papers.

Of the honorary members, both deserve a notice in this place. The first was Mr. John Ashton Yates, one of the original members of the Society, but who, since 1835, has Mr. been upon the Society's honorary or corresponding list. J. A. Yates was the second son of the late Rev. John Yates, who spent his life from youth to age as the able, eloquent, and highly-esteemed minister of the Presbyterian congregation in Paradise Street, Liverpool. He was put to school under the Rev. W. Shepherd, of Gateacre. He was apprenticed to the great North American firm of which William Rathbone was founder and chief. Among his co-apprentices and co-equals in age, were Thomas Thornely, afterwards M.P. for Wolverhampton, and Thomas Bolton, who, soon. after the passing of the municipal reform bill, was chosen Mayor of Liverpool. In commercial, public, and private life these three were attached friends to the end of their days; and they were all removed from this earthly scene within a very short space of time. Mr. A. Yates' active habits as a Liverpool broker were varied, and relieved by the study of literature and the fine arts, in which he met with abundant encouragement and assistance, not only under the paternal roof, but in the society of some of his neighbours, and especially of the eminent William Roscoe. He made a very valuable collection of engravings, and of paintings by old masters, which still attest his knowledge and taste, forming one of the finest private minor collections in the metropolis. Mr. A. Yates also devoted great attention to political economy, making himself master of the subject both

by reading and by conversation with the chief pro the science. In this line he published "A Lette Distresses of the Country," 1817; "Colonial 1824; "Essays on Currency and Circulation," 18 Letter on the present Depression of Trade and Manu addressed to the Landowners and Farmers of the c Carlow," 1841. At the time of their first appearan pamphlets received warm approbation from Mr. H and many other well-informed politicians. On the of the Reform Bill Mr. Yates was naturally looked man well fitted to work out and secure its advantage stood for Bolton, in his native county, but lost his e At the next general election Mr. Yates was a candida Mr. Vigors for the county of Carlow, and they were r together. Mr. Yates' activity of mind and capac social enjoyment continued to within two years of his He then became a patient sufferer, losing his memo always gentle, kind, and grateful to all around him died on Sunday, November 1st, 1863, æt. 82, at the near Manchester, the residence of his son-in-law, ( N. Philips, Esq.), and his death is the severance of a link of the Society with its founders in 1812, of whom two now remain, viz., Mr. William Rathbone and Mr. J Houlbrook Smith, if, indeed, we can except Mr. John An of Rivington, not now a member.

The other honorary member whom we have lost durin past year was Sir William Brown, Bart. (born May 4, died March 3, 1864), elected an honorary member of this of several other literary and scientific societies on the occa of the opening of the Free Public Library, in October, 1 This distinction was given to the deceased baronet particularly upon the ground of his liberal foundation of Gallery of Inventions and Science at the Free Public Muse Finding that the Museum was so arranged that no space