second story, and one-half of the attic story, of this building, for $6,500; and on the 13th of March, 1856, the remainder of the interest of this institution, for $35,000. A portion of this was paid by subscription; and, for the remainder, the Society mortgaged the whole estate to the Suffolk Savings Bank for Seamen and Others for $27,500. This mortgage was discharged on the 7th of April, 1863. The payments of the note have been as follows: two thousand dollars from the legacy of Miss Mary P. Townsend; sixteen hundred dollars from the legacy of the late Nathaniel I. Bowditch; five hundred dollars from the Historical Trust-Fund; twelve thousand two hundred and three dollars from the net proceeds of the sale of stocks of the Appleton Fund; ten thousand dollars from the note of Hyde and Watris, constituting the Dowse Fund; and the balance, eleven hundred and ninety-seven dollars, from a donation by the late Hon. William Sturgis, to enable the Society to discharge the mortgage. The lower floor is rented to the Suffolk Savings Bank for fifteen years from March 1, 1856, at an annual rent of $2,200.

The Library, Paintings, and Cabinet. — The Library consists of about eighteen thousand volumes and twenty-eight thousand pamphlets.

The Society's Publications. These consist of the thirtyeight volumes of the "Collections," seven volumes of "Proceedings," and two volumes of the "Catalogue," — about six thousand volumes, which are for sale.

The Appleton Fund, of ten thousand dollars; The Massachu setts Historical Trust Fund, of three thousand dollars; The Dowse Fund, of ten thousand dollars, all invested in the real estate and obligations of the Society, as explained in this report.

The Peabody Fund. - Invested in two registered UnitedStates 10-40 Bonds of $10,000 each, bearing five per cent interest.

The Dowse Library.-This Library was presented to the

Society by the late Thomas Dowse, and consists of four thousand six hundred and fifty volumes.

The Copyright and Stereotype Plates of the "Life of John Quincy Adams."-This was presented to the Society by Hon. Josiah Quincy. It is on sale by Woolworth, Ainsworth, and Company.

Bond of $1,000 of the Quincy and Palmyra Railroad, and a note of $1,000 of the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad Company, dated Feb. 1, 1869.

THE INCOME.

The income of the Society consists of an annual assessment, on each Resident Member, of seven dollars, or, instead, the payment of sixty dollars; the admission-fee, of ten dollars, of new members; the rent of the lower floor of the Society's building; the sales of the publications of the Society; the sales of the "Life of John Quincy Adams"; the interest on the Peabody Fund; a bond of $1,000; and a note of $1,000.

In 1868, the Society received a legacy of $2,000 from the late Henry Harris, Esq., one-half of which was invested in a Coupon Bond of the Quincy and Palmyra Railroad Company. The remainder has been invested in a coupon note of the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad Company. Both securities bear eight per cent interest, and are free of government tax. No conditions were attached to this legacy; and, if thought desirable, it may be constituted into a permanent fund.

The course of thirteen lectures, delivered before the Lowell Institute the past season by members of the Society, produced thirteen hundred dollars, which will be expended for their publication.

The income of the Appleton Fund for the next year, it will be observed, has been absorbed in the publication of the eighth volume of the "Collections"; but the expense of the ninth volume of the "Collections," part of which is in type, can be met from the general fund.

The proceeds of the Peabody Fund will be ample to meet the publication of the volume of "Proceedings" now in the press.

Respectfully submitted,

BOSTON, April 13, 1869.

RICHARD FROTHINGHAM, Treasurer.

Annual Report of the Librarian.

The By-laws of the Society require the Librarian to present, at the Annual Meeting, "a statement of the condition and wants of the Library, with a notice of the important accessions that have been made to it during the year." In accordance with this requirement, the Librarian respectfully submits the following report.

The growth of the Library during the year has been steady and satisfactory. The accessions may be classified as follows:

Of the volumes added, 509 were by gift, 107 by exchange, and 10 by purchase. The pamphlets were all given or procured by exchange. Of the duplicates in the Library, there have been exchanged 104 volumes and 86 pamphlets for works wanted, but not owned, by the Society. These exchanges have been made by the Librarian, under the supervision of the

Standing Committee. Of the Society's "Collections and "Proceedings," 60 volumes have been exchanged for other volumes of its publications, or for books not in the Library. In this way 11 volumes of the "Collections" wanted have been received. In every case where the publications are given out, the exchange is made by the Standing Committee. Three bound volumes of newspapers have been given for four others that were needed to complete sets.

There have been taken out of the Library during the year 197 books, including 9 pamphlets, and all have been returned. This number, however, is no measure of its usefulness, as it is daily consulted by persons who come hither, sometimes from a great distance, to find only in this collection what they want.

There are now in the Library, it is believed, more than 18,000 volumes, including the files of newspapers and the manuscripts; and more than 28,000 pamphlets.

The largest number of books given by any one person during the year was received from the President of the Society, Mr. Winthrop. Among his gifts are 268 volumes, besides many pamphlets, maps, and manuscripts. Of these volumes, 79 are made up of political and miscellaneous tracts, some of them of great rarity and value. With proper precaution, Mr. Winthrop has restricted their use to the Library.

Considerable accessions have been made to the books relating to the Great Rebellion. Mr. Lawrence has continued his gifts to this department, having added 33 volumes and 6 pamphlets. The collection of this class of books now in the Library is a very good one, and we hope the Society will be able to add to it from time to time. It should embrace every thing that has been printed on either side, bearing even remotely on the late war. In future years this kind of literature will be in demand by students of history; and publications now deemed unimportant may be the only means of shedding light on questions of great interest. With these materials, the

time will come when the impartial history of those great events can be written.

Within a few weeks an important addition has been made to the manuscripts in the Library. Through the exertions of the Reverend Dr. Ellis, Mr. Frothingham, and others, the manuscripts of Chief-Justice Samuel Sewall, which had been preserved by his descendants during nearly a century and a half, have come into the possession of the Society. These comprise his Journals, Letter-Books, and other miscellaneous papers; and altogether they constitute a valuable collection.

There has been a temporary break in the cataloguing of books and pamphlets during the last four months, owing to the want of an Assistant Librarian. This position having now been filled, it is hoped that the work will go on with regularity and promptness. The card system has been adopted some years, and continues to give satisfaction. Since the last Catalogue was printed, there has been added to the Library a sufficient number of titles to fill a supplementary volume, and the means must soon be provided for printing it. In connection with this subject may be mentioned the want of more shelfroom. The present accommodation for books is all taken up; and additional shelves, if only for temporary use, must be put up to meet the exigency. This fact, however, is not stated to discourage any member who has the intention of giving a few volumes to the Library, from carrying out his benevolent purposes.

Before closing this report, the Librarian desires to put upon record his high appreciation of the services rendered in many ways by the late Dr. John Appleton, who was the Assistant Librarian of the Society during fourteen years. His health was so feeble that he was obliged to hand in his resignation, which took effect on the 1st of December last. It was then hoped that the Society would not lose altogether the benefit of his large experience in matters pertaining to antiquarian and historical studies. In the following January, he was elected a