s... 



1MYAL SOCIKTV. 





learning, iuiihr to tlic voluntary 



. for other tranche* of knowledge in foreign 



WM __.^. At thi* time also a aerie* of re*liitiin< relating to the 

 obkcU propoaed by the society was drawn up, of whicli the follow- 

 la* it a brie/ outline : It WM agreed that records should be made 

 of all the work* of nature and art of which any account could 

 be obtained ; to that the present age and posterity might be able to 

 mark the error* which hare been strengthened by long preemption, 

 to restore truths which have long been neglected, and to extend tho 

 OMB of thus* already known ; thus making the way easier to those 

 which an? yet unknown. It was also resolved to admit men of iliflerent 

 religion*, pratarioo*. and nation*, in order that the knowledge of 

 nature might be freed from the prejudice* of secta, and from a bio* in 

 favour of any particular branch of learning, and that all mankind 

 might a* much a* possible ba engaged in the pursuit .if philosophy, 

 Hr U WM proposed to reform, nut by laws and ceremonies, but by 

 practice and example. It was further resolved that the society should 

 nut be a school where some might tench and others be taught, but 

 rather a sort of laboratory where all persona might operate indepen- 

 dently of one another. Lastly, it was resolved that each member 

 should subscribe his name to on agreement that he would constantly 

 attend the society's meetings, if not prevented by illness or some 

 indUiwnsable business ; that he should pay 10*. on oil admission, and 

 that he should subscribe 1*. weekly while he continued to belong to 

 the society ; but from this obligation he was to be freed if he chose 

 to withdraw. At the same time Dr. Wilkins was chosen chairman, 

 Mr. Ball, treasurer, and Mr. Croone, registrar. It was agreed to meet 

 every Wednesday, from 3 to 6 o'clock in the afternoon. 



The revenue thus raised from the members was intended to enable 

 the society to accomplish the various objects for which it was insti- 

 tuted, and particularly to defray the expenses of the philosophical 

 experiments which it was proposed to make. The intention was, that 

 persons should be sent to travel abroad, for the purpose of collecting 

 information, while others should remain in London, and present the 

 result* of their researches at the weekly meetings. It was determined 

 that the iiiemUTs should be formed into committees for the con- 

 sideration of the subject* which were to be illustrated by experiments, 

 and that the performance of tho latter should be assigned to persons 

 who, by their particular talents, were best qualified for the duty. 

 Some of the members also were to be appointed to examine all works 

 i al history of foreign countries, that out of them they 

 re directions as a guide in making inquiries concerning 

 iln- phenoim na of the atmosphere and the currents of the sea, and in 

 performing experiments on light, magnetism, &c. It was proposed to 

 bring the results of the researches into one common stock, and to coil- 

 sign them in public registers for the benefit of future generations, 

 without regard to any order in the arrangement ; it being considered, 

 that if subjects of a like nature were brought together, persons might 

 be tempted too early to form general systems, which might be 

 eiit.-d to the progress of philosophy. (Dr. Sprat, ' History of 

 the Koyal Society.') 



Such were tin- plan and constitution of the infant society, which 

 was destined, in its maturity, to hold so distinguished a place in the 

 annals of science. It* first recorded steps, which took place Dec. 5, 

 1660, consisted in appointing Mr. Wren, at the next weekly meeting, 

 to perform an experiment on the vibrations of pendulums, and Lord 

 Brouncker to bring in a series of instructions for conducting some 

 <-\|x-riii)euU (relating to the temperature, moisture, &c., of the air), 

 the performance of which on the Peak of Tencriffe it was intended 

 t.i procure. 



A week afterwards it was resolved that persons desiring to be 

 admitted should be recommended by some member, and that the 

 i lection should take place by ballot. No one below the rank of a 

 I an >n was to be admitted without a scrutiny; and the number of 

 member* was to be limited to fifty-five, of whom twenty-one were to 

 be a quorum for elections and nine for other matters. It was agreed 

 also that the fellows of the Royal College of Physicians and 1 1 

 femora of mathematics and natural philosophy in both universities 

 should, if they desired, be admitted as supernumeraries on paying the 

 fee* and lending their assistance when convenient. The restriction 

 respecting the mmilier of members was however soon afterwards taken 

 nH"; and, at this time, candiflate* who were proposed on one evening 

 were often admitted at the next, or at the second following meeting, 

 tli-'H^h the practice respecting the interval between the application 

 and the admission seem* to have been very variable. Tin- president or 

 chairman hold hi* post sometimes during the evening only, ...metinie-i 

 be was appointed for a month, and he was occasionally re . 

 Two person* were appointed to superintend the arrange!, 

 forming the pro|>o*ed experiment*, and one of the members acted as a 

 reporter at the meetings. An amanuensis for copying minutes, and an 

 operator under the superintendent*, were engaged as servants, and 



: . . . 



in that age, the constitution and qualities of material bodies being 

 very imperfectly known, suggestions founded on ill-observed pheno- 

 mena, and the marvellous relations of credulous travellers, were often 

 thought deserving of consideration from the bare jxwsibility that they 

 might lead to the discovery of useful truths ; and this circumstance 

 may serve to account for the apparently absurd inquiries and expert 



.hich appear in the notices of tho society's first labours. Thus, 



wii-s requested to ascertain the name of the pi 



Brazil where there was said to have been a kind of \\ ..,] which attracts 

 fishes; he wag also desired to inquire into the truth of the circum- 

 stance mentioned by Schotter that a fish suspended by a thread 

 would turn towards the wind. And in the same year, the opinion 

 that a spider could not get out of a (pace enclosed witliin a circle 

 formed of powdered unicorn's horn was actually made the sub i 



riment. The philosopher will however I'.. 



occupations of the society when ho meditates on the works of a 

 Xewton and a Davy, which are also recorded in the pages of its 

 history. 



The society having presented an address to the king (Charles II.) on 

 bis restoration, his majesty expressed much satisfaction that tho 

 in.-titiition had originated in his reign, and promise.! to support it 

 with his influence. And in li',t;j. by the e< .ncurrence, it is said, of 

 Lord Clarendon, the chancellor, Sir Ueoll'ry 1'.. liner, (lie at< 

 general, and Sir Heneage Finch, the solicitor-general, he granted a 

 charter, by which the members were incorporated into a society eon- 

 sisting of a president, council, and fellows, iiml i th. 

 Royal Society. In this they were declared capable of holding lands, 

 tenements, &c. in perpetuity or otherwise, and of suing 01 

 in any court of law; a coat of arms was given them, and tin ;, 

 allowed to have a common seal for their use. \\~illia 

 Broiincker was appointed president, and twenty-one p. i 

 appointed by name to form a council. It was further regulated that 

 the president should be elected annually on St. Andrew's day, and that 

 ten of the council should, at the same time, In: replaced by ten other 

 persona chosen from among tho fellows. (Birch, 'History of tho 

 Royal Society,' vol. i. ; Weld, 'Hist, of Royal S..< .' vol. i.i This 

 charter being found not sufficiently explicit, in the following year 

 another was obtained, in which the president and fellows are desig- 

 nated the president of the council and the fellows of the Royal Society 

 of London for promoting natural knowledge ; and in which, after 

 declaring that the society might hold lauds, &c., there is added 

 " Statuto dc alienation* '<. < m non obstante." (Birch, uf 



tup.) Between 1061 and 1664, the king made sev bo the 



society, and on those occasions experiments were exhibited, for the 

 preparation of which committees of the i >inli.l. In 



lil'i:! his majesty bestowed a mace on the society, and in IC'll lie 

 signed himself, in the Charter-book, its founder ; at the same tim the 

 duke of York (afterwards James II.) signed himself a fellow. 



The Royal Society of London may now be said to have been 

 pletely formed, and it mtist be considered as tho oldest of its kind in 

 Kvirope, if we except the Academy of the Lyucei at Rome. The 

 Academic Francaise, which, in 1635, had been established by Richelieu, 

 had for its object only the improvement of the French language ; and 

 though, in 1657, a number of learned men, among whom were 

 Descartes, Gassendi, and Roberval, were accustomed to assemble at 

 the apartments of Pere Mersenne in Paris, for the purpose of making 

 philosophical experiments, and of reading the solutions of such 

 mathematical problems as, according to the general practice of that 

 age, had been proposed to them, yet it was not till 1 ti66 that Louis 

 X I V., at the suggestion of M. Colbert, founded what was then 

 the Royal Academy of Sciences for purposes similar to those which 

 engaged the attention of the Royal Society. To the latter th. 

 belongs the honour of having preceded the former in time, and 

 probably that of having in some measure led to its formation. It 

 must also be considered as having been the parent of the iiumcron, 

 scientific institutions which have since been formed in the I 

 Isles as well as on the continent. 



From the time of the charter being granted, the business of the 

 society assumed more importance, and in 1664 Mr. Hooke was 

 appointed curator, with a salary of 807. per annum. The west gallery 



ham College was appointed as a repository for the instnn 

 which were under his charge, and for a museum of natm. 

 which hat! been given by Mr. Cohval, one of the members. Sir John 

 ( ui I er also settled on Mr. Hooke 50/. per annum, in c.msiderai 



i .eriug a course of lectures on the History of Nat:: 

 under the regulation of the so ! the latter, in the 



formed itseli for the purpose of considering die 



different subjects of wlrich it was cognizant. These wviv imv! 

 astronomy and optics, anatomy, chemistry, agriculture, t! 

 trade, natural phenomena; and there was. I 

 manage the correspondence. The Koyal Society early receive- 

 tokens of approbation from foreign nations, as well as from the 

 nobility and the learned in this country. It oorrwponded iiv<|nentlv 

 with tho scientific men in France, and it was invited by Prince 

 I... .pold, the brother of the grand-duke of Tuscany. to 1,.'. p 

 mutual communieation with the philosopher The 



lioinians published ill their books favourable testimonials 

 labours, and foreigners of distinction often attended its weekly 

 meetings. 



The first portion, or number, of the Philosophical Transact!'" 

 the work whicli the society published was designated, appeared on 

 Monday, March 6,1665. It contained sixteen Mh an 



introduction by the secretary of the society. Mr. nl.l. nl>i. 



the editor: and it was intended that one t-uch n 



