284 Vindicaiim of the Attack [ApHil, 



conclusive and nugatory — Here lay, and liere still lies, the matter 

 of astonishment. 



I am aware th«t it has been cnstomary to warn the public, that 

 the Royal Society is not responsible for what may appear in its 

 Transactions : and, in reference to the Society as a body, or to a 

 great majority of its members, this is correct enough. But where 

 a discretionary power of adopting and rejecting is exercised, re- 

 sponsibility must attach somewhere. Now the members of the 

 council are appointed for this express purpose, among others. 

 They examine, they set aside, they select, ihey publish : and the 

 learned world is at liberty to form its judgmeiit of the result. 



With regard to mathematical papers, for example, they have in 

 the course of a few years — 



Rejected — Professor Vince's paper on the Cause of Gravitation," 

 published since in a separate pamphlet. 



Rejected — Professor Lax's paper on Re-entering Angles, pub- 

 lished, also, in a separate pamphlet. 



Rejected — The explanation of Mr. Barrett's theory and ela- 

 borate computations relative to Life Annuities, &c. Afterwards 

 j>.ublished in a separate pimphlet by INIr. Francis Baily. 



Adopted — Don Rodriguez' attempt to prove the inaccuracy of 

 the Trigonometrical Survey of England and Wales; that is, a 

 paper written to show that that important undertaking is conducted 

 by men, who, with instruments of unparalleled accuracy, liave 

 vimdb blunders of' four and a HALfc- seconds in a series of zenith 

 dij^ances ! 



These examples might, easily, be much extended. But I 

 sinaply specify the above as a few which subsequent publications 

 Iiare rendered well known, to prove that the council exercise a 

 discretionary power. In which of them they have exercised that 

 power judiciously, in which injudiciously, the other members of 

 the society, and the scientific world in general, may decide without 

 difficulty by a comparative examination of what was rejected and 

 ■K'hat was retained 



I have only to add, that in what I have here said, I am not con- 

 scious of being at all actuated by unworthy personal feelings : in 

 |)r> wf of which, allow me to state, that I do not recollect the name 

 ct a single gentleman who was in the council between the years 

 1812 and 1813, except that of the late Astronomer Royal; and 

 for his character, both scientific and private, none can cherish a 

 liigher esteem than has for many years been entertained by. 



Sir, Yours respectfully, 



Olinxhus Gkegory. 



Royal Milftocrif Academy, TVoolukfi, 

 Feb.dihf 1814. 



APPENDIX BY THE EDITOR. 



I expressed my opinion of Dr. Gregory's paper, in the Annah 



