every interest of which history takes cognizance, and his life, if we had it, would at many points teach us more, and more vividly and impressively, than we could by any possibility learn from the most elaborate and faithfully written impersonal history. For the Council, ANDREW P. PEABODY. REPORT OF THE TREASURER. THE Treasurer of the American Antiquarian Society submits his semi-annual report, made up to October 20, 1885. The Librarian's and General Fund shows a balance of $40,137.80, a slight increase over that reported in April last. The Collection and Research Fund, which at the time the last report was presented showed a balance of $18,078.03, now amounts to $18,099.68, the income of the Fund being enough to meet the charges for the six months and show a slight increase in the aggregate. The Bookbinding Fund now amounts to $6,373.64, an increase of about two hundred dollars over the sum reported in April last. The charges to this Fund have usually been more than the income, but as no binding has been done the past six months and it has not been necessary to charge to it any part of the salary of the Assistant-Librarian (as has been the custom), the Treasurer is able to report the above named increase. The Publishing Fund is now $19,541.75, but from this there will soon have to be taken the expense of printing the last number of our Proceedings. The sum of five hundred dollars has been given to this Fund for the purpose of enabling the Society to pay any balance due for the publication of the Lechford Note-book. It will be remembered that a special subscription was made for this object, about nine hundred dollars having been subscribed of which amount $729.00 has been paid in. It is estimated that the cost of the publication will be about $1,500, so that it will be necessary to raise about $100 more to prevent drawing upon the principal of the Fund. The gift above referred to comes from the estate of the late Robert Waterston, of Boston, from a fund left by him for distribution by his Executors, and was transmitted by our associate Charles Deane, LL.D. The Isaac Davis Book Fund after a charge of $57.37 for the purchase of books now amounts to $1,576.90. The Lincoln Legacy Fund is $2,282.97. The Benjamin F. Thomas Local History Fund now amounts to $1,177.50. A small sum has been taken from this Fund for the purchase of local histories. The Salisbury Building Fund is now $234.30. The Alden Fund now amounts to $1,151.26, after charging about $100 for expenses incurred in the preparation of manuscripts and broadsides for cataloguing. The Tenney Fund is now $5,125, the income of which will be carried to the Publishing Fund as has been the custom heretofore. The Haven Fund now amounts to $1,123.58, and The George Chandler Fund to $509.39. Small amounts have been taken from the income of each of these Funds for the purchase of books. The aggregate of the various Funds as shown by the detailed statement of receipts and disbursements submitted herewith is $97,333.77. The cash on hand, including the subscriptions to the Lechford Note-book, and after deducting $500 paid to J. Wilson & Son on account of printing, is $11,579.80. The cash balance is on interest at a low rate, but the larger portion of it will be invested as soon as the Finance Committee shall be able to do so with promise of safety. STATEMENT OF THE CONDITION OF THE SEVERAL FUNDS. |