There are two extensive societies, the Caledonian Gai deners Society, chiefly restricted to practical persons, and the Horticultural Society, belonging to this city, both of which award premiums for fruits and flowers at certain seasons. The latter is on a more general scale, in respect to the quality of its members.
A society for promoting astronomical science wat lately instituted; and now consists of many respectable individuals. As yet it has produced no Transactions ; but by means of its exertions, an observatory, erected some years ago on the Calton-hill, a situation particu larly favourable, has been judiciously repaired, provided with several good instruments, and is likely to be pre served in such a condition as to prove useful to the public.
There is another association, on a more comprehen sive establishment than any of those we have hitherto mentioned, which may be described as a great patriotic economical society. This association was originally form ed for promoting the welfare of the Highlands of Scot land, and is called the Highland Society ; but its views are at this day greatly extended, and whatever is con nected with the prosperity of the country at large is brought within the sphere of its patronage. Thus it is occupied in advancing the interests of agriculture, ma nufactures, and the arts, by offering premiums for com petition; and all useful inventions and improvements, relative to the same objects, though not originally pro posed by the society, are also recompensed. To attain an accurate knowledge of the real state of the country, different districts arc periodically selected, and premi ums offered for the best report regarding them; the culture of certain vegetables, promising utility, is en couraged ; the adoption of implements of agriculture and machines, which have come to the knowledge of the society, is recommended ; and when ingenious mecha nics, in straitened circumstances, have devised models which apparently might be beneficial, if executed on a sufficient scale, are unable to complete them, sums have been bestowed for that purpose. About 6501. is yearly distributed in premiums ; a gold medal is occasionally bestowed, and sometimes pieces of plate to those whose merits seem to entitle them to it. The ample funds of this society, the patriotic spirit of its members, and the countenance which it receives from government, all con tribute to its general utility and importance. It now consists of above 1200 members, and volumes of Trans actions are occasionally published.
The diffusion of knowledge is justly deemed an effec tual means of civilizing a nation : the government itself is materially influenced by it, and thence the happiness of the people. A literary government is mild, but ex perience proves that a military one is tyrannical and despotic. Thus in the largest and most populous empire of the world, none but men who have under gone a probation in literature, are admitted to share its administration ; and notwithstanding its unwieldy greatness, universal tranquillity prevails : all its mea sures arc mild and paternal. Edinburgh has been
called a hot-bed of genius. It is not to be denied that brilliant talents have shone in it ; that it has given birth to many celebrated works in history and philosophy ; yet in appreciating what ought strictly to be denomi nated learning, much must be rejected that passes for such in the vulgar eye : little originality is truly seen ; the ideas of mankind, always the same, are only re produced under a different form; every subject of or Binary discussion has been exhausted again and again ; and unless for scientific inventions, and exposing the phenomena of nature to view, scarcely any thing new is to be found. The diffusion of knowledge is materially promoted by the facility of access to public libraries, and few cities are more favourably situated in that respect than the Scottish metropolis. In the year 1580, Cle ment Little, an advocate, bequeathed his library for the use of the citizens at large ; and immediately on the institution of the university, the books were transferred thither by an order of the magistrates. This incon siderable collection, of which a catalogue is still ex tant in the records of the town council, was gradually augmented by the benefactions of Drummond of Haw thornden, and more recent donors, until it now forms a great accumulation, probably exceeding 50,000 vo lumes. By a statute passed in the reign of Queen Anne, the College Library is entitled to a copy of every book entered in Stationers-hall, in common with the other universities. The whole collection is preserved in three apartments, one of which is a very fine room, though wanting repair, 83 feet in length, hung with many old portraits of foreign literati, and those of Scotland. Among the latter are King James VI. his preceptor George Buchanan, and the first professor in the uni versity. Besides the printed books, there are some historical and classical manuscripts, which have been put in good order, and separated from the others. There is a copy of Fordun's Scotichronicon, written on vel lum, and a protest taken against the burning of the early reformers John Huss and Jerome of Prague, by a convention of the Bohemian states, with numerous seals appended. The library likewise possesses a copy of Bellenden's translation of Boetius, printed on vel lum, of which only three copies besides are known to exist, and the Heures a !'usage de Rome, also printed on vellum, which is shewn as a manuscript. Students have the privilege of borrowing books on depositing their value with the librarian, who is always one of the professors ; and each contributes five shillings, which arc the sole funds supporting it, on being enrolled in the university register. It is to be regretted, that there is no complete printed catalogue of this collection.—Be sides this library for the use of the students in general, there is an excellent one belonging to the divinity hall in particular, furnished with books not only on theological subjects, but on those also of general knowledge.