804 Asiatic Society: — Question relative to the Charter. 



Britain end Ireland, praying His Majesty to grant them a 

 Charter of Incorporation, " For the investigation of subjects 

 connected with, and for the encouragement of Science, Lite- 

 rature, and the Arts, in relation to Asia," he appointed the 

 27th April to take it into consideration. The Council of the 

 Linnsean Society, which was incorporated in the year 1802, "for 

 the cultivation of Natural History in all its branches," and had 

 existed for 1 i years previously, was of opinion that the esta- 

 blishment of a new Society, possessing the same privileges 

 with the Linnasan Society, would materially interfere with 

 their usefulness, and thought it their duty to protect the 

 interests confided to their care; and in consequence they 

 entered a caveat in the Attorney-general's office against the 

 granting of the Charter in the unlimited way in which it had 

 been sought. Each Society was represented by Counsel on the 

 occasion ; and it was urged by Mr. Grant, on the part of the 

 petitioners, that charters were not regarded in the present 

 day as giving any privileges of monopoly, but on the ground 

 of their giving facilities to their proceedings. Chartered So- 

 cieties were not, like others, fluctuating and ambulatory, but 

 existed by succession and not by descent, and could transmit 

 their property with greater ease. A Charter was supposed to 

 give a little more dignity to their proceedings, and it was more 

 gratifying to those who sought distinctions from them. It was 

 acknowledged that the legal description of the Asiatic Society 

 would enable them to prosecute the science of Natural His- 

 tory ; but that it was not their immediate object, and it would 

 be injurious to the higher ends they aimed at, to shut them out 

 from even incidentally treating of the subject, while so many 

 of the productions of the East, both animal and vegetable, 

 might require illustration with other views than those which 

 the Linnaean Society aimed to promote. It was a border 

 country upon which each might make its incursions, and it 

 would be impracticable to draw a strict line about them, 

 without at the same time interfering with their main object. 



On the part of the Linnaean Society, it was submitted by 

 Mr. Bicheno, that it had not been the practice of the Crown 

 to grant a Charter of Incorporation, which must be considered 

 a privilege, to a second Society, while one already existed for 

 the same object; and that if any privileges were to be obtained 

 by the possession of a Charter, the Society already ex- 

 isting was entitled to enjoy them. It was not a question 

 between monopoly and a more liberal principle, but between 

 two Societies running a race for privilege, and that the one 

 already instituted and found efficient, ought not to be injured 

 by the establishment of another. The Linnaean Society did 



not 



