The chief advantages which might be expected to result from a combination of the Provincial Institutes with the Society of Arts would be, in our opinion, the following:—

a. The formation of a Central Library, from which Local Institutes might, from time to time, borrow supplies of Books on the same or more reasonable terms than they can now procure them from the large circulating libraries of the metropolis.

. A staff of Lecturers might be provided by the Society of Arts, competent to give interesting and instructive information in a popular form; such staff to be selected by a Council, who, from their position and attainments, would be entitled to general confidence. Each Provincial Institute might be allowed to choose its own Lecturers from this staff, without being necessarily restricted to it.

?. The models, diagrams, &c., now provided by the individual lecturers at a considerable expense, and often with great personal trouble, might be furnished by the Society from a central repository established for that purpose. Many of the articles required, particularly drawings and diagrams, would probably be executed by the students of the School of Design, who would thus possess an opportunity for the practical exercise of their art.

d. That useful inventions and apparatus might be exhibited in the various localities of the Metropolitan and Provincial Institutes; and if the specimens were only shown for a short time in each place, a small number of each article would suffice. These circulating exhibitions would probably be attractive, and perhaps excite more notice than permanent museums. The Society of Arts might lend the articles for exposition gratuitously or at a low price, on condition that the Institute supplied the room, and made itself responsible for loss or damage.

e. That each Institute, in its collective capacity, would be considered so far affiliated to the various Scientific, Literary, and Philosophical Societies, as to receive annually, on application, a copy of the Transactions, and as many tickets, for attending Meetings and Lectures, as each Society may find it convenient to allow.