Feb. 12. 1853.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



171 



INCORPORATED ACCORDING TO ACT OF PARLIAMENT. 



ATHEIS^^UM INSTITUTE 



AUTHORS AND MEN OF SCIENCE, 



30. SACKVILLE STREET, LONDON. 



Vice-Presidents. 

 The Most Hon. the Marquis of Bristol, &c. 

 The Right Uon. the Lord Justice Knight 



Bruce. &c. 

 The Right Hon. Benjamin Disraeli, M.P., &c. 

 Lieut.-General Lord Frederick Fitzclarence, 



G.C.H., &c. 

 The Right Hon. Viscount Goderich, M.P., &c. 

 Tlie Right Hon Lord Viscount Mouck, M.P. 

 Sir George Tliomas Staunton, Bai-t., D.C.L., 



F.R.S., M.P., &e. 



Honorary Directors. 

 The Hon. J. Master Owen Byug. 

 "William Coningham, Esq. 

 "William Ewart, Esq., MJ. 

 Charles Kemble, Esq. 

 Edward Miall, Esq., M.P. 

 Benjamin Oliveira, Esq., M.P. 

 Apsley Pellatt, Esq., M.P. 

 Henry Pownall, Esq. 

 Wm. Scholefield, Esq., M.P. 

 The Hon. C; Pelham Villiers, M.P. 

 James Wyld, Esq. 



Treasurer. 

 Sir John Dean Paul, Bart. 



Trustees. 

 Thomas J. Arnold, Esq. 

 Herbert Ingram, Esq. 



F. G. P. Neison, Esq., F.LuS. 



Auditors. 

 Alexander Richmond, Esq. 

 William Smalley, Esq. 



Business Directors. 

 Chairman. — Lient.-General Palby, C.B. 

 De2}ut!/-Chairman.—J. Stirling Coyne, Esq. 



Baylc Bernard, Esq. 

 Shirley Brooks, Esq. 

 W. Downing Bruce, Esq. 

 J. B. Buckstone, Esq. 

 Thornton Hunt, Esq. 



G. H. Lewes, Esq. 

 Cyrus Redding, Esq. 

 AJigus B. Reach, Esq. 



Managing Director. 



F. G. Tomlins^Esq. 



Secretarif. 

 Wm.Dalton,Egii. 



Solicitor. 



G. E.I>enue8,E8q.,F.I..S. 



Consulting Actuary. 

 R. Thompson JopUng, Esq., F.S.S. 



J}ankc7-s. 



Messrs. Strahan, Paul, Paul, and Bates, 217. 

 Strand. 



Agent. 



Mr. C. Mitchell, Newspaper Press Directory 

 Office, Bed Lion Court, Fleet Street. 



CONSTITUTION, 



The AtheniBum Institute is legally incorporated as a Mutual Benefit 

 Society, and the rank and public status of its Vice- Presidents, Honorary 

 Directors, Trustees, and Treasurer, and the well-known character of its 

 business Directors, present a security to Authors, Journalists, and all 

 connected with Literature, that it is based on sound principles, and will 

 be conducted with fidelity and honour. 



It consists of two classes of supporters. 

 ^on-Participating or Honorary Subscribers, who, it is hoped, may in- 

 clude The Roval Family and great Officers of the state, on account 

 of the political and moral influence of Authors; NoBusHENandMKN 

 OF Fortune who have manifested a marked predilection for Litera- 

 ture ; AtTTHOBs OP FoRTuNB and others sympathising with, and in- 

 terested in the labours of literary men. 

 Participating Subscrihey's, consisting of Professioxai. Adthors, and that 

 large mass of writers who produce the current literature of the age 

 in Works of Science, Imagination, Education, and the Periodical 

 and Newspaper Press of the Empire. 



The Constitution of the Society is such that the general body of its 

 members hold the directing power. The Board of Business Directors is 

 elected by it, and their powers and duties, as well as those of the officers, 

 are clearly defined by the laws and rules of the Institute, which are in 

 strict conformity with the elaborate requirements of the Friendly So- 

 cieties' Act (14th and loth Victoria, chap. !15.). 



Thk QuAtiFicATiOiN OP MEMBERSHIP is authorship in some shape, 

 but a large and liberal will be the most just interpretation of the term. 

 As close a definition as can be given perhaps is, that it intends to include 

 all who use the pen with an intellectual aim, women as well as men. 

 The printed forms (wliich can be had on application) will sliow more 

 minutely what is required to constitute membership. 



REVENUE. 



The distinguishing feature of the Institute is its appl3ring the prin- 

 ciple of Life Assurance in all its transactions. 



The Subscriptions of the HoiMrary Subscribers are applied to an 

 Assurance on the Life of the Donors. 



For instance, — The Right Honourable Benjamin Disraeli, Esq., 

 sends a Donation of Twenty-five Pounds, which is immediately in- 

 vested on an Assurance on his life, and will ultimately produce to the 

 Institute an Endowment of 42?. Or to take anotlier instance — The 

 Right Hon. Lord Viscount Goderich subscribes Two Guineas per year, 

 which is invested in like manner on an Assurance on liis life, and 

 will ultimately Endow the Institute with iOOl. And thus the Hono- 

 rary Subscriplions, instead of being spent as soon as received, are 

 made to form a Capital Fund, which will be ultimately available, 

 as the Lives fall in, to the Provident Members and Participating 

 Subscribers. 



The application of the subscriptions of the Honorary Members to 

 assuring their lives, has these advantages : — It tends to create a large 

 capital fund _ It enables the Honorary subscribers to see that the un- 

 dertaking is successful, before their money is expended— It transforms 

 such subscrii tions from being an alms-giving for personal purposes, into 

 an Endowment for the general benefit of Literature— It is not like most 

 alms subscriptions to go in casual relief, but to produce a permanent 

 result ; such as the foundation of a Hall and chambers, and ultimately 

 the complete organisation of Literature as a recognised profession ; to 

 endow permanent annuities, and otherwise aid Literature by succouring 

 Authors. 



By this arrangement a very strong inducement is given to the 

 Working Literary Men to subscribe to this Institute and Society beyond 

 all others ; as they will not only have all the benefits nnd profits arising 

 from their own subscriptions, but participate in the Capital Fund, which, 

 there can be no doubt, will be augmented by Donations, Legacies, and 



Endpwrnents. There is also the special advantage peculiar to such an 

 Institution, of NOMINATING A wife ob child to receive immediately the 

 Amount assured at decease irrespective of all other ( 



The Subscriptions of the Participating Class are as follows : — 

 One Gcinea must be subscribed by every member, which goes towards 

 the expenses of the Institute and the support of the Philanthropic Fund. 

 For this he is entitled 'o be a candidate for assistance from the Philan- 

 thropic Fund ; has a Vote at all the General Meetings of the Institute ,• 

 and will be entitled to certain benefits from the Educational and Pro- 

 tectrye Branches of the Institute when they are brought into operation. 



Every Guinea subscribed annually beyond the first Guinea above 

 mentioned, produces the Subscriber an Assurance on liis life, according 

 to the Tables specially calculated by the Consulting Actuary of the 

 Institute, and wliich are in compliance with the Act of Parliament 

 regulaiing such matters. The Policies are issued by the Institute under 

 the Friendly Societies' Act, and are legally guaranteed by the Athenseum 

 Life Assurance Society, which, also appealing more particularly to 

 Literary and Scientific Men, has made an arrangement that is liberal 

 and advantageous to the Athenseum Institute. 



By this arrangement every Provident Member is equally safe, 

 whether the members of the Institute be few or many. 



One Subscriber is thus rendered as secure as a thousand. 



Annual Subscribers of Two Guineas or more are entitled to become 

 Directors ; and in awarding relief, regard will always be had to the 

 amount subscribed. 



It will be perceived by these arrangements, that cverv member of 

 the Athena;um Institute has the full value returned to him of every 

 Guinea subscribed beyond the first, in a Policy on his life ; and that he 

 also has a participation in the Capital Fund formed by the Subscriptions, 

 Donations, and Endowments of the Honorary Subscribers ; a privilege 

 which it is probable will add from fifty to a hundred per cent, to his in- 

 dividual contributions. 



The Friendly Societies' Act, under which the Institute is registered, 

 will not permit a member to make an Assurance beyond 100?., the In- 

 stitute is therefore limited to this amount ; but the Athenaeum Life 

 Assurance Society, which so liberally ass'sts the Institute, will insure to 

 any amount, and in any mode. It is desirable that the members of the 

 Institute should assure up to the 100?. allowed by the Act, and the 

 Tables will shew the annual amount required, according to the Age of 

 the Subscriber. The power of nominating a wife or child, irrespective 

 of all other claimants, is also a great inducement to assure in the In- 

 stitute to the utmost amount, namely, 100?. 



It is contemplated, as the Institute progresses, to add Protectivf. 

 and Educational Branches. 



The union of numbers has established the various Commercial and 

 Philanthropic Inatitutions of the Empire, and it is earnestly urged that 

 Authors and Journalists should take advantage of their numbers. 

 Nothing can be accomplished without numbers — with them everything. 

 The appeal now made is universal in its application to Literary workers, 

 and it is hoped it will be responded to so as to neutralise all cliquism, 

 whether arising from literary tectarianism, or the antagonism of po- 

 litical sentiments. 



P. G. TOMLINS, Manager, 



30. Sackville Street, London. 

 »»» Members are admitted by the Directors (who meet monthly) ac- 

 cording to forms which will be transmitted on application. 



Post Office Orders to be made payable to the Managing Director at 

 Charing Cross Money Order Office. 



The Rules of the Institute, as legally drawn up by high professional 

 authority, and as certified by the Registrar, can be had, price Is. 6d., or 

 2s. by post, pre-paid. 



Prospectuses (wiili Tables calculated especially for this Society) may 

 be had, gratis, at the Office, 30. Sackville Street, or of Mr. Charles 

 Mitchell, Agent to the Institute, Newspaper Press Diiectozs Office, 

 12. Red Lion Court, Fleet Street, London. 



