32 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



appointed the first Librarian. James Dickson, a youn^ gardener 

 from Peebles, with a great love for botany and a critical know- 

 ledge of British mosses, was also present. He had prospered in 

 business and had a shop in Covent G-arden. Mr. Beckwith, an 

 entomoliigist who described four new British moths at the 

 meeting in March 1789, but was dead before the paper was pub- 

 lished in 179 i, and Mr. John Timothy Swainson, of H.M. 

 Customs, and father of the illustrious zoologist, complete the 

 number who were present at this first meeting. We seem now 

 far separated from that meeting, yet I am happy to say that we 

 have still with us Fellows who were admitted to the Society 

 under its fiirst President, and who connect us by a single link 

 with that small meeting in the Marlborough Coftee House. The 

 Eev. Leonard Blomefield was elected on the 19th November, 

 1822. I had reason to hope that we might have been honoured 

 with his presence here to-day. Students two generations ago 

 were familiar with his ' Manual of British Vertebrate Animals,' 

 1835. John B. Mackay, an accurate British botanist, elected in 

 1824, now enjoys a green old age at Totteridge, and Prof. 

 Westwood, admitted May 1st, 1827 is still, and I trust may yet 

 long be, an active scientific worker. I hope we may have the 

 presence of these veterans when we celebrate our hundredth 

 anniversary. 



At the second meeting, held on the 18th of March, the roll of 

 the original members of the Society was incorporated in the 

 minutes. It consists of twenty names, and to it is added this 

 note : " The Eev. John Lightfoot, F.R.S., was one of the in- 

 stitutors of the Society, but died a day or two after the first 

 meeting." 



Prom the foundation of the Society its meetings have been 

 held twice a month ; the first meeting in each month was con- 

 fined to the Fellows, and was entirely devoted to business ; the 

 second, or general meeting, was open to Associates and visitors 

 introduced by Fellows, and was held for reading memoirs and 

 receiving exhibits. 



The Society for many years possessed only a very modest in- 

 come, beginning, in its first year, with a total of £65. But its 

 expenses were also small. No publications for some time swal- 

 lowed up its funds. It was content to occupy, for a modest 

 rent, two rooms in Dr. Smith's house. No. 12 Great Marlborough 

 Street. And it appointed the young and unfortunate Francis 

 Borone its first officer, giving him the handsome salary of Five 

 Guineas a year " for his attendance on the Society at all times." 



Our centenary falls then on the 20th of February, 1888. On 

 that day we shall be full one hundred years old. I venture to 

 suggest that such an occasion should not be allow^ed to pass 

 without some special celebration. The services we have, as a 

 Society, rendered to biological science more than justify our 

 right to exist. The story of tlie Linnean Society dui-iug the 



