THE ROYAL SOCIETY. 431 
suffered to drop. Nothing could be more injudi- 
cious than such a step, or more disrespectful both 
to the eminent men who composed the committee, 
and to the members at large. If the measures so 
recommended were impracticable, we should have 
been told so ; if otherwise, they should immediately 
have been acted upon. It is a great pity that the 
opinions of a committee, so composed, concerning 
the most vital point of interest to the society, 
namely, its scientific respectability, should have 
been kept secret ; since it is difficult to imagine that 
some of the improvements, at least, which they 
recommended, might not have been carried into 
effect. Ignorant of that document, we must there- 
fore enquire how far the object of respectability 
would be attained by the different means that have 
been suggested. 1. By the “ ejection of useless 
fellows;” 2. By their restriction; 3. By their di- 
vision into two classes; and 4. By especial regu- 
. lations for future admissions. 
(298.) The first plan of gection, proposed by a 
council of the R.S., in August, 1674, wherein was 
Sir Christopher Wren, however honest and just, is 
quite inapplicable to the conciliatory principles of 
proceeding of 1834; and it may, therefore, be dis- 
missed. The plan of restriction originated with 
Dr. Wollaston, who thought that the society should 
be limited to four hundred: this expedient is quite 
as impracticable as the last; for as the society now 
consists of more than seven hundred, there must be 
a complete suspension of fresh admissions until up- 
wards of three hundred of the present race have died. 
Besides, the mere limitation to any given number 
