Legacy left by the late Earl of Bridgewater. 201 



for the time being, of the Royal Society of London, to be 

 transferred, paid and applied, according to the order and di- 

 rection of the said President of the Royal Society, in full, and 

 without any diminution or abatement whatsoever, in such 

 proportions and at such times, according to his direction and 

 judgement, and without being subject to any controul or re- 

 sponsibility whatsoever, to such person or persons as the said 

 President, for the time being, of the aforesaid Royal Society 

 should or might nominate or appoint and employ. And he 

 thereby declared his will and particular request to be, that 

 some person or persons should be nominated and appointed 

 by the said President, to write, print, publish, and expose to 

 public sale, one thousand copies of a work on the Power, 

 Wisdom, and Goodness of God, as manifested in the Creation ; 

 illustrating such work by all reasonable arguments, as for 

 instance, the variety and formation of God's creatures in the 

 animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms ; the effect of diges- 

 tion and thereby of conversion, the construction of the hand 

 of man, and an infinite variety of other arguments ; as also by 

 discoveries, ancient and modern, in arts, sciences, and the 

 whole extent of literature.... And he desired that the profits 

 arising from and out of the circulation and sale of the afore- 

 said work should be paid by the said President of the Royal 

 Society, as of right, as a further remuneration and reward to 

 such person or persons as the said President of the Royal 

 Society should so nominate, appoint, and employ; with a 

 further power to advance the sums of 300/. and of 5GO/. 

 during the writing and printing of the said work. 



The testator appointed John Charles Clarmont, Thomas 

 Phillips, and Eugene Auguste Barbier, Esquires, executors 

 and trustees of his will. And these gentlemen, on the 14th of 

 July 1830, invested the devised sum of 8000/. in the purchase 

 of 3 per cent, consolidated Bank Annuities, which now stand 

 in their names for the above specified purposes. 



The late President of the Royal Society having ascertained 

 from a Noble Lord immediately connected with the deceased, 

 that his family were desirous of having the objects of the be- 

 quest executed, proceeded as follows : 



He was fully aware of the duty imposed on him to select 

 persons amply qualified for discharging in an adequate man- 

 ner the task they would have to perform ; and he was also 

 impressed with the conviction, that however carefully a se- 

 lection might be made, several gentlemen must be omitted, 

 possessing the requisite qualifications, equally, perhaps, with 

 those who received the appointment. 



For the purpose therefore of acquiring the most able assist- 

 N. S. Vol. 9. No. 5 1 . March 1831. 2 D ance, 



