38 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



Joseph Banks, the Due de Noailles, and Dr. Camper, and 11 As- 

 sociates, among whom were Woodward of Bungay, Dr. Francis 

 Buchanan-Hamilton, Fairbairn of Chelsea, and Dr. E. W. Gi'ay 

 of the British Museum. 



Tlie income of the first year amounted to only £65 17s. 6d. 

 The financial progress of the Society, its long struggle with the 

 debt incurred in purchasing the Linnean collections, the liberality 

 of many of our Fellows, and its present satisfactory state have 

 been dealt with by our Senior Secretary (])p. 42-45). 



The coffee-house in which the early meetings were held not 

 being a suitable place for depositing the property of the Society, 

 and affording free access to it by the Fellows, it was arranged to 

 occupy, at a small cost, two rooms in the neighbouring house of 

 the President. While lodged here the Society obtained its charter 

 of incorporation from George III. The Society continued to 

 meet in Dr. Smith's house until 1802, when he resolved to give 

 up his house in London, having some years before removed to 

 Norwich. 



The Society then took possession of a house in Panton Street, 

 oiF the Haymarket, which they occupied along with the West- 

 minster Library, engaging as their officer a clerk in that library. 

 This arrangement continued for only three years. In 1805 the 

 Society removed to rooms in Gerrard Street, Soho, where they 

 remained till 1820, when, after the death of Sir Joseph Banks, 

 they got possession of those rooms in his house which look into 

 Soho Square, the remainder of the house being occupied by Robert 

 Brown. In 1857 the Society removed to Burlington House, 

 having received from the Government permission to occupy a 

 handsome suite of rooms in the old building, in close joroximity 

 to the Eoyal Society. This recognition of the Linnean Society 

 by the Government helped to increase its prestige, and the 

 financial prosperity, consequent on the considerable addition to 

 its membership and the freedom from rent, enabled the Society 

 to improve and enlarge its publications. The Fellows, rising to 

 the importance of the event, subscribed the large sum of £1100 

 to cover the expenses of removal and to fit up the new rooms. 

 The latest, and as we hope the last, change was accomplished in 

 1873, when we got possession of these premises specially erected 

 by the Government to meet our requirements and handed over 

 to us without reserving any right of interference with us in our 

 proper work. Here we found admirable accommodation for our 

 collections as well as for our library, and we were able to 

 arrange and classify the volumes so that they can be conve- 

 niently consulted by the Fellows who use them. Wo have a 

 good meeting-room and accommodation for the Council and the 

 Secretaries, as well as suitabk; residences for our librarian and 

 housekeeper. The hopeful outlook which Mr. Bentham presented 

 to the Fellows ou the occasion of our first meeting in this building 



