45 
at the first Dr. Walker was president, and at the 
last I had that honour; and the other members are 
to take it in turn: four visitors are admitted every 
night. We meet every Friday evening, from six to 
nine o’clock ; and two papers are to be produced 
and discussed at every meeting, the members taking 
it in turn to write them. I did not accept the 
office of president without great anxiety; but I 
_ went through it with credit, as I knew the power I 
held, which is absolute for the time in all societies. 
I have great hopes that this will be a most respect- 
able and useful institution, and am very proud of 
having been one of its first founders. As I told 
Dr. Walker at his first coming I could not attend 
him this year, but should the next, if his hour suited 
me; he was so generous as to give me aticket for 
his present course, saying I might perhaps find 
some opportunities of attending him. He also told 
me I had studied more of natural history than 
anybody he had before met with in this country ; 
but in this I doubt he was a little premature in his 
decision, as I doubt not but he will find many more 
learned than myself, upon examining. It is accidental 
my not having mentioned Dr. Hutton; he is one of 
my best and most agreeable acquaintances, a man 
of the most astonishing penetration and remark- 
able clearness of intellects, with the greatest good 
humour and frankness; in short, I cannot discover 
in what his oddity (of which I heard so much) con- 
sists. He isa bachelor, and lives with three maiden 
sisters ; so you may be sure the house and every 
thing about it is in the nicest order. I step in when 
