394 APPENDIX. 



to fill the Chair of that Institution ; and, as the present President 

 had not done his duty as President, and had lost his Majesty's con- 

 fidence, it would be highly improper to reelect him ; and as it was 

 proper that one should fill the Chair who had his Majesty's confi- 

 dence, Mr. Wyatt was that person. He therefore proposed Mr. 

 Wyatt to the general assembly to be elected as their future 

 President. He was supported in this by Sir Francis Bourgeoise, 

 Sir William Beachey, Mr. Copley, Cosway, Yenn, and others. 

 Mr. Trisham. to give more force to what he had advanced 

 respecting the President having lost his Majesty's confidence 

 informed the general assembly that he would substantiate its 

 truth, or he should hold himself the most contemptible of all 

 beings, unworthy of a seat in that Academy, and deserving the 

 contempt of all its members ; and then informed them that Mr. 

 Yenn had a message from his Majesty, which he was commanded 

 to deliver there to that purpose ; this threw the general assembly 

 into great agitation, and most of the members called on Mr. Yenn 

 to inform them what were the commands he bore from his Majesty] 

 but Mr. Yenn not rising, I then addressed him, by saying, that if 

 he bore a message from his Majesty, I would answer for myself, 

 and for most of the members, that his Majesty's message would 

 be received by them with the most profound respect and atten- 

 tion. He therefore had but to make it known. The general 

 assembly repeated my words, which brought up Mr. Yenn with 

 much agitation, when he declared that he had no message from 

 his Majesty ; the King had not commanded him to deliver any- 

 thing respecting the elections that night. The speeches which 

 followed that declaration of Mr. Yenn you may easily imagine, 

 for most of the members were on their feet at once. The election 

 was called for, and I was reflected President, twenty for me, 

 and seven for Wyatt, and three blanks, supposed to be some 

 of Mr. Wyatt's party, who took the alarm when they found that 

 Mr. Yenn had no message. As all elections must be confirmed by 

 his Majesty, some of the party was so bold as to say that although 

 the election was carried in my favor, the King would not sustain 

 it I should then know his Majesty's displeasure when I went 

 with the election to him for his signature. A few days after, it 

 became my duty to wait on his Majesty with the papers contain- 

 ing the several elections for his examination and signature. His 

 Majesty was in Windsor Castle, and, when I came into his pres- 

 ence, he received me more as a brother and friend than as one 



