Series 1 > Diary of Andrew Hay of Craignethan

6
Well, I think that is a matter which our council should consider,
as to whether some remedy should not be found, and whether
some preference should not be given in the election of members
to those who are sons or heirs of the original members, and who
have succeeded to a complete series of our publications. I do not
know that it would be practicable, but I put myself, or try to put
myself, in the position of one who has inherited a set of our
invaluable series, and picture his discontent at finding it must be
many years before he can become a member and continue it on his
own account. Now, the report has set forth very fully before you
all that we have enjoyed and all that we hope to enjoy. We may
say there are three categories into which all our publications must
necessarily be divided—readable books, books that are partly
readable, and books that are wholly unreadable and are meant only
for purposes of reference. But do not think that I undervalue the
category of unreadable books, because you require a great number
of unreadable books for purposes of reference, books that you will
only dip into, and through the means of the index to find any
special piece of information that you are seeking. Nor do I dis¬
parage the partly readable books, though I do not put them in the
superlative class of our publications. The partly readable books,
I think, are those of which great portions are caviare to the
general reader, and as to which you may say that a dip more
or less profound and more or less occasional is not an unwelcome
diversion. I need hardly say that as the impartial president
of this Society I should give no examples of either of these classes,
but as regards the first I will give a specimen, because it is
the only one of the publications that I have had time to read with
any exactness. I mean that book of Fountainhall’s that has been
so admirably edited by my friend Mr. Sheriff Crawford. I do not
know how far members of this Society have been able to read that
work with thoroughness, but I think they will feel that both for
itself and for the introduction of my friend, which contains so
interesting a correspondence between Sir Walter Scott and Sir
Thomas Dick Lauder, that it almost deserves preservation if only
for that interesting piece. To those who have read that work in
exlenso, my recommendation will appear completely superfluous.
But it appears to me to be a model book of its kind as regards the
publications at which our Society was intended to aim. It is
thoroughly readable ; it gives you a pictui’e of the life and manners
of Scottish society of that time which it will probably not be worth