xxvi POLITICAL REMINISCENCES 17 



Sir John never sympathised with the exclusion 

 of women from scientific societies, and he gladly 

 attended, and spoke in favour of their admission 

 to the Geographical Society, as suggested in 

 the following letter from Sir M. E. Grant Duff, its 

 then President : 



York House, Twickenham, Middlesex, 

 April 17/93. 



My dear Lubbock — It will give me great pleasure 

 to breakfast with you at 2, St. James Square on the 26th. 



One of those idiotic squabbles which now and then 

 disturb learned Societies has broken out in the Geo- 

 graphical. The subject, or rather the ostensible subject, 

 is the admission of women to be Fellows, in the ordinary 

 way. The malcontents, who have their centre in the 

 United Service Club, say that women should only be 

 allowed as inferior or " Honorary Fellows " — without 

 full rights and not contributing to our Funds. The 

 Coimcil say that is all nonsense — they wish to be admitted 

 on the ordinary terms and certainly should be. 



The real cause of the row is that we have only one 

 Naval man on the Council, Wharton, the Hydrographer 

 — ^who is, however, well worth two ordinary Admirals. 



Aberdeen will come and talk sense. I hope you will 

 come and help him. With the two, all will go well. 



It is the first trouble I have had in four years ; but 

 nonsense of this kind is infectious, and if the Society 

 takes to squabbling, I should find pleasanter occupation 

 than looking after it. 



We need, however, nothing save that the Society 

 stands by its Council, which with your help it most 

 certainly will do. — Believe me, sincerely yours, 



M. E. Grant Duff. 



The hour is | p. 4 on Monday the 24th, and the place 

 the University of London Theatre. 



As a matter of fact, however, it was not till 

 many years later that women Fellows were 

 admitted. 



On the 3rd May there was a great meeting at 

 the Guildhall, presided over by the Lord Mayor, 



VOL. II c 



