Manchester Literary Club. REPORT OF THE COUNCIL ON THE THIRTY-SIXTH SESSION. THE Council of the Manchester Literary Club have again the pleasure of being able to congratulate the members on the completion of a successful, instructive, and enjoyable Session. The work submitted during each half of the Session has not only equalled in quality and interest that of recent years, but its quantity, owing to the formation of a special section, has been largely increased. The more solid contributions were pleasantly diversified by the charming productions of the musical members. The papers submitted have continued to attract the attention of readers when printed in the MANCHESTER QUARTERLY, and many favourable references to the magazine have appeared in the press. The Council mentioned in their report on the last Session that an effort was being made to increase the circulation of the QUARTERLY, and it is with regret they have to report that their action has not been so successful as was expected. The matter, however, is still engaging their attention, and they are not unhopeful of achieving considerable improvement in the desired direction. Twenty-two ordinary meetings have been held, at which twenty papers were read, and forty short communications made. The following is a list of the papers :— A Night and Day on English Waters........JOHN STIRLING. .JOHN WALKER. Voices from Sea and Shore An Idyll of Lakeland JOHN WALKER. WALTER BUTTERWORTH. .J. J. GLEAVE. .REV. A. W. Fox. .B. A. REDFERN. N. THAMSEN. RD. NEWTON. GEO. MILNER. TINSLEY PRATT. C. E. TYRER. ...ALFRED SCHUMACHER. ..J. F. L. SANDBACH. The papers and short communications, numbering 60, may be thus classified Art and Music, 10; Bibliography, 3; Biography, 12; Criticism, 10; History, 1; Poetry and Drama, 9; Science, 1; Travel, 9; Humour, 5. LIBRARY. The Library contains 570 volumes, consisting principally of books by members of the Club, with the addition of some works of reference, and a number of volumes by local authors or of local interest. Amongst the donations to the Library have been Mr. John Walker's "Spanish Idylls," Mr. Tinsley Pratt's "Wordsworth at Rydal and other Poems," Mr. Richard Lawson's "History of Flixton," Mr. John Mortimer's "Samples from the Note Books of an Uncommercial Traveller," Mr. Edgar Prestage's "Translation of the Letters of a Portuguese Nun," Mr. Thomas Batley's Programmes of Sir Charles Halle's Concerts, 1858-95." 66 EXCURSIONS. The Annual Excursion of the Club took place on Saturday, July 10th, 1897, the locality selected for the visit being Lichfield. The Birthplace of Dr. Johnson, the Museum, the Cathedral, and other attractions received due attention. The day was full of |