THE ROYAL SOCIETY. 433 



inasmuch as it virtually excludes many of the high- 

 est fame, who would otherwise, in all probability, be 

 enrolled amongst its members, and give to the So- 

 ciety that honour which is the vital spark of its 

 existence. And why should these enormous fees 

 be continued, not merely by the Royal, but by the 

 Antiquarian and the Horticultural Societies? Why 

 should they be higher than those demanded by the 

 Astronomical and Zoological, or even by the Geolo- 

 gical or Linnaean ? Each of these societies publish 

 their Transactions as frequently, and are subject 

 (as far as we know) to the same necessary expenses 

 for their management ; and surely, when so sore an 

 evil has been hinted at, as it would appear, from the 

 president's chair*, it behoves the council to take 

 the matter into their serious consideration. 



(300.) We neither know, or much desire to know, if 

 any and what steps have been taken to remedy those 

 defects of internal administration, charged against the 

 Royal Society, by those whose opinions are already 

 before the public. We are satisfied that an efficient 

 reform must commence with removing great griev- 

 ances, and then proceeding to the lesser subjects of 

 complaint. When it is considered, that the society, 

 as a body, has little or no political influence (for it 

 could not save the board of longitude), and that its 

 executive members, from deriving no pecuniary re- 

 compense from the government f, are obliged to give 



* Anniversary address of H. R. H. the President, tor 

 1832, p. 31., concluding sentence. 



T" The secretaries only have a small stipend — much too 

 small — paid by the society. 



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