124 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY. 



matters could not be put right. Was it to be wondered at that people 

 smiled when they were told of the conditions of Fellowship for women ? 

 He thought that the Society had not only lost many women, but men 

 also, who would under more logical conditions have become Fellows. 

 The Society could not go on indefinitely having thiugs both ways. It 

 might do so for a time, but it would bring discredit in the long run, 

 unless it could be made quite apparent that there were no possible means 

 ■of putting things on a more satisfactory basis. 



Secondly, if the Society wanted to maintain its position as a first- 

 class scientific Society, it was bound sooner or later to follow the 

 example of the Linneau, Zoological, and other similar Societies, which 

 had already adopted the principle of the admission of women to the full 

 privileges of Fellowship. It was so evidently to the advantage of the 

 Society to attract as much ability as it could, whether the possessors 

 were men or women, that it seemed quite clear that the Society should 

 do all in its power to make the privileges of Fellowship as many as 

 possible for both men and women. The tendency for women to possess 

 knowledge in microscopical matters was growing. If women were kept 

 out much longer, as they certainly were being kept out by the present 

 conditions, the Society would have to face the certainty of taking a 

 much lower position among scientific societies than it had hitherto done. 



Lastly, the admission of women to full privileges would undoubtedly 

 increase the membership of the Society. How could it be expected that 

 women would join in any numbers when the conditions were so unequal 

 for men and women ? It was a wonder that any women had joined 

 under such conditions, and the fact that some had so joined was, he 

 thought, sufficient to show that others would be glad to avail themselves 

 of the benefits of belonging to the Society if they could do so on equal 

 terms with men. That a large number of women would ever be 

 attracted to the Society was of course unlikely, but the present number 

 of lady Fellows might very well be increased four- or five-fold, and 

 that would mean eventually an addition of thirty or forty to the 

 .Society's membership. 



In concluding his remarks in favour of the resolution, Mr. Scourfield 

 said he had not attempted to answer in advance any objections which 

 might be urged to the admission of women to the meetings, but he was 

 •most anxious to hear and consider everything that could be brought 

 forward by those opposed to the resolution. 



Mr. Frederic J. Cheshire, in seconding the motion, said that there 

 were three important points that should be constantly borne in mind by 

 those taking part in the discussion about to take place. In the first 

 place, it was important to remember that this was not a motion made for 

 the purpose of admitting women as Fellows of the Society — that had 

 already been done — but simply for removing certain disabilities under 

 which women Fellows laboured. Secondly, the present position of the 

 Society as regards the question at issue was an untenable one. To require 

 women, as was done, to pay the same entrance and subscription fees as 

 men, and then to refuse them practically all the benefits of the Society, 

 was a procedure which could only be characterised as absolutely grotesque 

 in its unfairness. Thirdly, and lastly, it should be recognised that the 

 Society is not being asked to take a leap in the dark. Women have 



