364] 
for many years, keeping registers 
of the weather, and making other 
experiments; for all which pur- 
oses those apartments were well 
adapted. But, disposing of these 
apartments, in order to remove in- 
to those allotted thera in Somerset- 
Place, where, having neither room 
nor convenience for such purposés, 
the museum was obliged to be dis- 
posed of, and their useful mete- 
orological registers discontinued for 
many: years. 
Sir Godfrey Copley, Bart. left 
five guineas to be given annually 
to the person who should-write the 
best paper in the year,. under the 
head of Experimental Philosophy : 
this reward, which is now changed 
to a gold medal, is the highest 
honour’ the society can bestow ;- 
and it is conferred on St. Andrew’s 
day ; but the communications of 
late years has been thought of so 
little importance, that the prize 
medal remains sometimes for years 
undisposed of. 
Indeed this very respectable So- 
ciety, now consisting of a great 
proportion of honorary: members, 
who do not usually communicate 
papers ; and many scientific mem- 
bers. being discouraged from mak- 
ing their usual communications, by 
what is deemed the present arbi- 
trary government of the Socicty ; 
the: annual volumes have in con- 
sequence become of much less 
importance, both in respect of 
their bulk and the quality of their 
contents. 
EO TE ET 
Avecdstes of the late Sir William 
Chambers. From the European 
Magazine. 
THIS. gentleman, whose fame 
will’ Jast as long as the noble 
building of Somerset House shall 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1706. 
rear its majestic head, was by birth 
a Swede. Jt has been said, that 
he was descended of the ancient 
family. of Chalmers in Scotland, 
Barons: of Tartas in Trance, and 
that his father was a merchant, who 
suffered much by supplying Charles 
XI]. with money and goods during 
his wars, for which hé received only 
the base copper coin of that mo. 
narch,’struck for the purpose in his 
emergencies, and, like the French 
‘assignats, afterwards depreciated ; 
by which means the holder was in- 
volved in ruin. 3 
At the age of two years Sir: 
William was brought over to Eng- 
land, and at a proper time placed 
at Rippon school 1m Yorkshire, ~ 
where, it is believed, he continued 
until he was appointed chief su- 
percargo of the Swedish ships to 
China. In this situation he did 
not remain long, probably not more ~ 
than one voyage. On quitting — 
this employment he determined to 
follow the bent of his genius, 
which led him to design and archi. 
teclure. 
His first residence in London was 
in Poland-street; but not, as has 
been asserted, in the business of a 
carpenter. He at an early period 
dysplayed the talents he possessed, 
and soon was considered as one of 
the best archite&ts and draftsmen 
in Europe. His abilities introduced 
him to the knowledge of Lord 
Bute, by whose interest he was aps 
pointed drawing-master to his Ma- 
jesty, then Prince of Wales. 
His first work of consequence 
was Lord Besborough’s villa at 
Roehampton, which from his con. 
du& in that business, procured 
him many other buildings. He 
gave in his: plan to Lord Bes. 
borough with an estimate as an 
architect, 
