ANDREWS ST., EDINBURGH, and GLASGOW.
The following table shows the number of students that matriculated at the university of Edinburgh, at different times from 1791-2 to 1824-5.
In the year 1824-5, the following students matricu lated.
The following students obtained the degree of Doc tor of Medicine during ten years, from 1811 to 1820.
IN various parts of this work, particularly in our descriptions of the counties of Scotland, we have given an account of various local establishments for the pro motion of agriculture,t and other useful objects. Un der the present head, therefore, we shall confine our selves to a notice of those institutions that have been established in Edinburgh, as the metropolis of Scot land, and which extend their benefits to every part of the kingdom.
One of the oldest and most important of these in stitutions is the Board of Trustees for promoting Trade and Manufactures in Scotland. This board was established by act of Parliament in 1726, for the purpose of regulating and improving the linen and hemp manufactures in Scotland. The objects which this board had in view were; I, To promote by pre miums the cultivation of flax; 2, To assist in the erec tion of lint mills; 3, To employ spinning mistresses in small towns and villages; 4, To confer premiums on the best specimen; 5, To give their aid in the for mation of bleachfields, and in erecting the requisite machinery; 6, To furnish looms of superior construc tion to skilful and industrious weavers; 7, To pro mote improvements in the patterns of damask table linen; and 8, To bestow premiums on the best speci mens of various kinds of linen cloth of Scottish ma nufacture, brought forward at a general competition which takes place annually in Edinburgh. The ex pense of carrying through these important objects, has been stated as follows: It is also a part of the duty of this board to affix. a public stamp to all the linen made for sale in Scotland, in order to indicate its quality and good workman ship; but the competition of several manufacturers has rendered this unnecessary, and it has accordingly been discontinued since the year 1822.
The Highland Society of Scotland was established in 1784, and incorporated by royal charter in 1787. The object of this society is to promote the agricul ture and internal improvement of Scotland in general. It is supported entirely by the contributions of its members, who in 1826 amounted to nearly 1700. It expends annually in premiums a sum of nearly L.1300,
and it has done more for promoting the internal im provement of the country than any other establish ment in Scotland. The society has published six 8vo. volumes of transactions, and has recently erect ed in Albyn Place a splendid house, at which their meetings are held, and in which the secretary re sides.
About the middle of the last century an attempt was made by several public spirited individuals in Edinburgh to establish a society for promoting the advancement of the useful arts, under the title of the Edinburgh Society for the Encouragement of .drts, Sciences, 111«nufactures, and .agriculture, but it does not seem ever to have been constituted. This society printed their regulations in a pamphlet of thirty-two pages, but without a date. The ordinary managers were Lord Deskford, Lord Dalmenie, Sir Alexander Dick, Sir David Dalrymple, George Clerk, Esq. Alexander Munro, Esq. Dr. Robert \Vhytt, Mr. J. Johnston, and Mr. Alexander Wedderburn. The ex traordinary managers were the Duke of Hamilton, Earl of Glasgow, Lord Elibank, Lord Karnes, Pro vost Drummond, Colonel Crighton, Andrew Prin gle, Esq. Gilbert Elliot, Esq. Alexander Tait, Esq. Adam Fairholme, Esq. treasurer, Patrick Duff, Esq. secretary.
Towards the end of the year 1819, a society was formed for promoting the useful arts in Scotland, and has since that time been in active operation. It con sists now of more than 200 members, each of whom contributes a guinea annually to the funds of the in stitution, or pays a composition of L.10. 10s. It has also a class of honorary members not resident in Scot - land, and of associates who reside in Scotland. The society holds regular sittings during, the winter and spring months, which take place on the first and third Tuesdays of each month, at which papers on the use ful arts are read and discussed, and models and ma chines submitted to the inspection of the members. The society has already rewarded several valuable inventions by the adjudication of gold and silver medals, and promises to be of extensive use in stimu lating and directing that ingenuity which prevails in so remarkable a degree in this country. The Society of Arts proposes also to have biennial exhibitions of inventions, models of machines, and of the produc tions of domestic and foreign industry, the first of which will take place in Edinburgh in the month of May, 1827.