236 M. C. COOKE ON EARLY MEMORIES OF THE Q.M.C. 



society with a subscription of half a crown a year, the above- 

 mentioned Society of Amateur Botanists. Afterwards their 

 excursions became the model, and supplied some of the material, 

 for the early excursions of the Q.M.C. 



In like manner the constitution of the Society of Amateur 

 Botanists, with its monthly meetings and its fortnightly excur- 

 sions, its moderate subscription and its social habits, originated 

 the idea in the mind of Mr. Gibson that a similar association was 

 possible for microscopists. 



Then again the issue of "Science Gossip" brought many 

 microscopists into communication with each other ; and a casual 

 letter, which might have been a dead letter under different con- 

 ditions, was the cause, within six months, of the organisation of 

 the Quekett Microscopical Club, which at one period of its exist- 

 ence had a list, nominally at least, of about six hundred members. 

 Whether rightly or wrongly I will not pretend to affirm, but 

 at least during the quarter of a century throughout which I 

 was actively in connection with the Club, it was an understood 

 principle, although it never appeared in writing, that no " maker 

 of microscopes " should be elected to any office in connection with 

 the Club. The reason for this decision will be apparent to any 

 reflective person. It would have been invidious to have elected 

 any "maker" to the exclusion of others, it would have intro- 

 duced a trade element, which ought to be avoided, and would 

 have raised suspicion of undue preference, which would have 

 acted prejudicially to the interests of the Club. It was, I believe, 

 Mr. Richard Beck who suggested this course to us, when he at 

 first refused to take office on the original Committee ; and per- 

 sonally I think he was perfectly right, although I hesitated a few 

 minutes to record my opinion. Another of the "twelve elders," 

 who was closely associated with the trading interest, was strongly 

 opposed to the exclusion above alluded to, and consequently with- 

 drew from all active co-operation in the progress of the Club. I 

 am under the impression that this feehng on behalf of exclusion 

 did not so much influence the members in the early days as it 

 did afterwards ; inasmuch as I find that both Mr. Beck and Mr. 

 Highley did take their seats on the Committee for a year or 

 two, the circumstances of which I have forgotten, but remember 

 that it was accepted only as a temporary arrangement and was 

 not afterwards repeated. 



