214 PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. [T.nlkASM 



Mr. Lee said lie desired to see tlie soiree carried out iu a better 

 manner. He considered it a downriglit disgrace to the Society that 

 only four Fellows had replied to the inquiry respecting the objects 

 they intended to exhibit ; and that only about a dozen ^ besides the 

 Council liad exhibited their microscopes on the last occasion. It was 

 merely a trade soii-ee. He said this without any disrespect to the 

 opticians who had supplied the chief attractions of the evening. He 

 was not prepared to advocate the abandonment of the soiree, but he 

 did think that the exhibition of objects and microscopes should be 

 more in accordance with the Society's character. 



Mr. Slack said that, in accordance with desires expressed to that 

 effect, the Council had endeavoured to give the soii-ee on the last 

 occasion a more scientific character. It was extremely difficult to 

 unite the requirements of a scientific gathering with those of a 

 crowded evening party. If the latter character were abandoned, he 

 hoped a good substitute would be found, so that we might not lose 

 the advantage of a friendly gathering cf Fellows with their wives and 

 daughters. 



Mr. Beck said, what he wished to have was a separate evening 

 devoted to purely scientific purposes. They need not give up the 

 public meeting on this account. 



Mr. Lee said if it was proposed to have two soirees, one of them 

 purely scientific, he should vote for the proposition. 



Mr. Slack said he would not do away with the soiree, but he would 

 propose that an evening should be devoted to the comijletest possible 

 exhibition of the recent discoveries, new instruments, objectives, best 

 methods of showing difficult or disputed objects, &c., &c. This would 

 be a strictly scientific meeting, and the numbers could be limited to 

 about half those who usually attended, that the objects might be seen. 

 An excursion might then be organized for another day, to which ladies 

 could be invited to join, and when methods of collecting and examining 

 objects could be shown. 



Dr. Carpenter fully coincided with the remarks that had been 

 made on the non-scientifiic character of the soiree, and the difficulties 

 of making it a scientific meeting were most apparent. But he would 

 just say that whatever plan might be adopted, he was willing to aid 

 the Council most cordially. He would engage to exhibit as many 

 objects as they could provide microscoi^es for, and would also be 

 happy to lend them large drawings which he had in his possession, 

 which would indicate the nature of the objects displayed. 



The President said, he gathered from the remarks which had been 

 made, that it was the wish of the Fellows that there should be a purely 

 scientific evening, on which tbey could meet together, and also a more 

 social evening, conducted as formerly. The scientific meeting would 

 have this advantage, viz. that it would be exceedingly inexpensive. 



The President tlien put it to the meeting which of the two plans 

 should be carried out — tlie social excursion suggested by Mr. Slack, 

 or the evening party. The latter was adopted by a large majority. 



After a few more remarks from Mr. Beck, the President announced 

 that the meeting was adjourned to the 13th April next. 



