1827.] 



Proceedings of Learned Societies. 



653 



sufficient interest to authorize the opening of 

 them during the ensuing' autumn. The pre- 

 sident then announced that the number of 

 subscribers exceeds 500 ; and that the list is 

 daily increasing ; he also gave a highly fa- 

 vourable report of the funds of the society, 

 which, after defraying all charges attending 

 upon the various works in progress, leave a 

 considerable and increasing balance in the 

 bankers' hands. 



MEDICO BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. 



9th February, 1827. The chairman an- 

 nounced that H. R. H. the Duke of Clarence 

 had inserted his name as a patron in the sig- 

 nature book, and that H. R. H. the Duke of 

 Cambridge had also honoured the society, by 

 allowing his name to be added to the list of 

 honorary patrons. Aucco oil, the produce of 

 an East-India plant, termed " Jaum," was 

 presented by Henry Thomas Colebrooke, 

 Esq., F.R.S. Dr. Sigmond, professor of 

 Toxicology, delivered his introductory dis- 

 course. 



The society's anniversary dinner, which 

 had been postponed from the 16th January, 

 in consequence of the death of the Duke of 

 York, was celebrated on Saturday, February 

 the 10th, at the Thatched House Tavern, Sir 

 James McGrigor, K. T. s. president, in the 

 chair. 



Oth March. His Grace the Duke of Wel- 

 lington, having signified the pleasure he 1 

 would feel in belonging to the society, was 

 immediately ballotted for, and declared una- 

 nimously elecied an honorary fellow. Dr. 

 Sigmond delivered his second lecture on 

 poisons. 



4t't April. The chairman, John Frost, 

 Esq., informed the meeting, that he had been 

 honoured with an audience of the Duke of 

 Wellington, who had inserted his name in 

 the signature book. A letter was read from 

 the Right Hon. Robert Peel, announcing 

 His Majesty's gracious acceptance of (ha 

 society's address on the death of their la- 

 mented patron, His late R. H. the Duke of 

 York. The Dukes of Somerset, and St. 

 Alban's, Lords Kenmure, and Nugent, and 

 the Right Hon. Charles W. W. Wynn, were 

 elected into the society. General Neville, 

 Sir John Scott Lillie, Benjamin Hawes, 

 Samuel Reid, William Loddiges, and T. B. 

 Mackay, Esqrs., with several others, were 

 proposed as members. A paper, on the Ma- 

 teria Medica of the Chinese, by John Reeves, 

 Esq., F.R.S. of Canton, was read, and some! 

 interesting remarks on the materia meclica of 

 Demerara, communicated verbally by M. C. 

 Frend, Esq., F. H. s. The Meeting adjourn- 

 ed to llth May. 



VARIETIES, SCIENTIFIC AND MISCELLANEOUS. 



Notice regarding an Advertisement of 

 an Assurance Company, inserted in the last 

 Number of the Edinburgh Review. Ques- 

 tions respecting assurance upon life are of 

 such vital importance to the community 

 while, at the same time, the subject is of 

 such difficulty for the generality of readers, 

 and so imperfectly understood, that the gra- 

 titude of the public for any correct and judi- 

 dicious information on this head must be as 

 unlimited as their indignation at all who mis- 

 lead them. The first is the due reward of 

 Mr. Babbage's labours. The writer in the 

 Edinburgh Review who criticised his work 

 is unquestionably entitled to the second. We 

 do not say that the latter has intentionally 

 misled the public ; but as it is occasionally 

 supposed that the contributions of a mere 

 sciolist would not be admitted into that eru- 

 dite miscellany, the world must either im- 

 peach the knowledge of the editor and author, 

 or suspect their integrity. As for ourselves, 

 we do nothing but rectify error, and point 

 out misrepresentation : of motives, we pre- 

 sume not to jud?;e. If we offer an opinion; 

 it is that the article in question is to be con- 

 sidered as an advertisement, and, remember- 

 ing the fate of Mr. Sedgwick, we hope that 

 it was paid for accordingly. Now, before 

 we enter more fully into the subject, we may 

 quietly hint that assertion is not proof; and 

 that, when the reviewer asserts that " tJie 

 impression made upon the minds of ninety- 



nine persons out of a hundred will probably 

 be, that the premiums of the Alliance and Sun, 

 at every period of life, are exorbitant," he 

 had not read the book he was presuming to 

 condemn, or, having read, did not understand 

 it a table at the end thereof [Table T] be- 

 ing adapted to prevent this insinuation ; and 

 when the reviewer also (page 484) denies 

 that "the experience of the Equitable is 

 supported by the experience of the other 

 offices," let us inquire if this communication 

 is to be regarded as official. If so, let him 

 state to what office he belongs, instead of 

 allowing it to be inferred from the tenor of 

 bis paper. Let him avow the institution into 

 whose arcana he has been permitted to pry ; 

 and the worl.! will thank him for his valuable 

 communication. As it is, we do not see why 

 his unconfirmed, anonymous assertion is to be 

 received in opposition to what really are 

 official documents. " The most palpable 

 error, however, contained in the book," ob- 

 serves the reviewer, " is perhaps to be found 

 in the following extract : ( If two companies 

 both offer to return one-half of the profits to 

 the assured, and one of them has a capital of 

 200,000/., although their profits may be the 

 same, if one of the offices deduct out of them 

 an interest for the shareholders before the 

 division is made, the results to the assurers 

 will be very different. Let the divisionsof both 

 offices be made seprenmaUy, and let them 

 each amountin the gross to 100,000/., <fec. &c. 



