Page:Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (IA journalofstrait121878roya).pdf/40

 asked whether the Rattles Library is not sufficient. It is in fact a great deal more than sufficient in one way, but insufficient in others. I need not say that a very large number of the attractive looking volumes on those shelves would not be of much use to such a Society as this. And, on the other hand, a great many books, &c., required for the purposes of the Society, would not be necessary in a general collection. As I have said before, I hope that one important feature of the Library will be as complete a collection as possible of the books that have been written in the Malay and kindred languages In the Library, too, will be found, I hope, many M. S. communications to the Society, such as notices of short Journeys, which though not of sufficient importance to be printed, yet deserve to be carefully preserved for reference.

This then is the Society, its work and its modus operandi. I cannot but regret that your choice of a President for this year has not fallen upon some one who would have done better justice to a great subject. But the objects we are aiming at speak for themselves, and I think we have every reason to be sanguine in our expectation that the Society may take a worthy and honoured place among those institutions which are conferring benefits upon mankind, by removing a part of the ignorance and misconception, which hide from our view some of the most wonderful works of God.