Asiatic Society : — Quest ion relative to the Charter. 305 



not oppose the Charter to the Asiatic Society altogether, but 

 merely required some security in their legal description, that 

 should prevent them from publishing on Natural History. 

 The Asiatic Society had, by its published addresses, declared 

 its intention to pursue Natural History, not onfy as connected 

 with the possessions of the East India Company, but in Austral 

 Asia in general. The Linnaean Society has devoted itself to 

 the same object, and its later volumes have been occupied in 

 the proportion of one-half by the Natural History of the East. 

 It has gone to a great expense in printing and engraving, and 

 the plates illustrative of one plant only, the Mafflesia Arnoldi, 

 cost about 240/. The collection of the natural productions 

 of New Holland, in the possession of the Society, it was said, 

 was the finest in Europe. The demand for publications of this 

 kind is very limited, and it would be impossible to publish, 

 unless great losses were sustained by somebody. These losses 

 are made up by the Linnaean Society, and the funds to supply 

 them are obtained from the admissions and contributions of 

 the Fellows. If another Society is permitted to exist with 

 similar privileges, the inducements for scientific men to join the 

 Linnaean Society will be diminished, and the contributors of 

 valuable papers will in some cases transfer their favours to the 

 rival Society ; and thus the literary interest of the Transactions 

 will decrease. It was said that no country, with the excep- 

 tion of England, either did or could support the science of 

 Natural History without some Government assistance ; 

 that in France the " Ouvrages des Luxes" constitutes an 

 annual item of the Budget, and large sums are granted for 

 the encouragement of this object ; and that in Russia, Den- 

 mark and Holland, the science receives similar assistance. 

 In our own country Professorships are endowed by Royal 

 favour ; and what the Government does not do, is in a great 

 measure supplied by the Society whose privileges are now 

 attacked. It is not an object that can be left to the ordinary 

 interests of mankind, as it does not bear immediately upon their 

 wants or pleasures ; and if it is cultivated at all, it must be 

 by the extraneous assistance to be obtained by the means this 

 Society is enabled to furnish. 



The Attorney-general having heard the parties, took time 

 to consider his opinion. 



ROYAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF PARTS. 



Jan. 5. — Some Observations were received from M. Guillon 

 supplementary to his Memoir on the nutritive Animalcule of 

 Oysters.— M. Chaptal was elected Vice-President for the year ; 

 and M. Arago commenced the exercise of his functions as 



Vol. 63. No. 312. April 1S24. Q q President. 



