[ 3.W ] [May 1, 



PROCEEDINGS OF PUBLIC SOCIETIES. 



SOCIETY FOR IMPKOVING PRISON 

 DISCIPLINE. 



THOUGH this Society does not 

 affect to commiserate prisoners, 

 but, by the word discipline, appears to 

 aid the blindness of justice, and the in- 

 discriminating severity of the law, yet 

 benefit to the weak and helpless must 

 result, from the contact of rank and 

 power, and we therefore wish it success, 

 and hope that its labours will be unre- 

 niiltius and perpetual. 



At the late anniversary meeting of the 

 Society, (the Duke of Gloucester in the 

 chair,) sincere gratification arose from 

 the increasing prosperity and usefulness 

 of this institution, from the public inte- 

 rest which continues to prevail for the 

 improvement of prison discipline, and 

 from the measures now in progress ibr 

 the erection of new, and the amendment 

 of old, prisons. It appeared, however, 

 that, notwithstanding the visible pro- 

 gress of amelioration, a considerable 

 number of prisons, especially those 

 under local jurisdiction, are devoid of 

 classification and employment, and of 

 that discipline which can alone correct 

 and reclaim the offender; in some cases 

 confounding in one common association 

 the several distinctions of character and 

 Clime, — while they are otherwise in 

 such a state as to call imperiously for 

 the interference of the Legislature. 

 The Society, therefore, look forward 

 with anxious solicitude to the comple- 

 tion of those measures which are now 

 before Parliament for the consolidation 

 and amendment of prison laws ; con- 

 vinced tljat legislative enactments, 

 founded on wise principles, are indis- 

 pensable, before the prisons of this 

 kingdom can be regulated by a system 

 that will at once deter the criminal, jet 

 promote his reformation, and add to the 

 public welfare and security by the pre- 

 vention of crime. 



It appeared, also, that the situation of 

 criminal youth, disposed to abandon 

 their vicious courses, but discharged 

 from prison without money, character, 

 or friends, is one which has strong claims 

 as well on the interests as on the com- 

 passion of the public. The numerous 

 boys thus circumstanced, who, on their 

 liberation from the gaols of the metro- 

 polis, have received relief from the 

 Prison Discipline Society, and the suc- 

 cess of its endeavours to reform, entille 

 the institution to the warm support of 



the enlightened and benevolent; but the 

 Committee have, during the past year, 

 been compelled, for want of means, to 

 deny assistance to many whom timely 

 relief might have rescued from guiH 

 and misery. 



ROYAL SOCIETY OF LITERATURE. 



The ten associates consist of — i\Tr. 

 Coleridge, the Reverends E. Davies, 

 J. Jamieson, F. R.Malthus, H.J.Todd, 

 Mr. Mathias, Mr. Roscor, Mr. Sharon 

 Turner, SirW. Ouseley, Mr. Miilingcn. 

 The honorary associates are — Bernard 

 Barton, Mr. Duppa, Mr. Jacob, Mr, 

 Mitchel, Mr. JMontgomery, Mr. Tyller, 

 and the Reverends T. I). Fosbrooke, 

 S.Lee, J. Lingard, G. Miller, J. Par- 

 sons, R. Polwbele, A. Rees. Tlie hono- 

 rary members are — the Reverends A. 

 Allison, G. Gleig, the Archbishop of 

 Dublin, M. M. Von Hammer, Augelo 

 Mai, W. A. Von Schlegel, Sir G. J. 

 Staunton, Mr. Young, Mr. Rennell, 

 Mr. Salt, Mr. Wilkius, Mr. Mitford, 

 and Sir J. Malcolm. 



ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY. 



On the 13th of February, being the 

 fourth anniversary of the Astronomical 

 Society of London, a numerous meeting 

 of its members took place, at their 

 rooms in Lincoln's-inn Fields, when the 

 chairman (Mr. Colebrooke) proceeded 

 to distribute the honorary rewards of 

 the Society, viz. the Society's gold me- 

 dal to Charles Babbage, esq. F.R.S. as a 

 token of the high estimation in which it 

 holds his valuable invention of an engine 

 for calculating mathematical and astro- 

 nomical tables, being the first medal 

 awarded by the Society. A similar gold 

 medal to Professor Enckc, of Seeberg, 

 in Gotha, for his investigations relative 

 to the comet which bears iiis name, and 

 which led to the re-discovery of it in 

 1822. The silver medal of this Society 

 to M. Karl Rumker, for the re-disco- 

 very of Eneke's con.et, in consequence 

 of the above investigations. And a 

 similar silver medal to M. Pons, of 

 Paris, for the discovery of two comets 

 on the 31st of May and 13th of July, 

 1822, and for his indefatigable assiduity 

 in that department of astronomy. 



LONDON MECHANICS' INSTITUTION. 



Whilst every branch of science is 



contributing its powerful influence in 



promoting the welfare of society, the 



working 



