G RECORD OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY 



an eminent physician in Oxford), and divers others, continued 

 such meetings in Oxford, and brought those Studies into fashion 

 there ; meeting first at Dr. Petty's lodgings (in an apothecarie's 

 house), because of the convenience of inspecting Drugs, and the 

 like, as there was occasion ; and after his remove to Ireland 

 (though not so constantly) at the lodgings of Dr. Wilkins, then 

 Warden of Wadham College, and after his removal to Trinity 

 College in Cambridge, at the lodgings of the Honourable Mr. Robert 

 Boyle, then resident for divers years in Oxford.' 



The Oxford Society became in 1651 the Philosophical Society 

 of Oxford, of which meetings continued to be held at irregular 

 intervals until 1690, when they ceased. The London Society 

 continued to meet until about the year 1658, ' usually at Gresham 

 College, at the Wednesday's and Thursday's lectures of Dr. Wren 

 and Mr. Rooke, where there joined with them several eminent 

 persons of their common acquaintance : the Lord Viscount 

 Brouncker, the now Lord Brereton, Sir Paul Neil, Mr. John 

 Evelyn, Mr. Henshaw, Mr. Slingsby, Dr. Timothy Clarke, 

 Dr. Ent, Mr. Ball, Mr. Hill, Dr. Croone, and diverse other 

 gentlemen, whose inclinations lay the same way. This custom was 

 observed once, if not twice, a week in term-time ; till they were 

 scattered by the miserable distractions of that fatal year ; till the 

 continuance of their meetings there might have made them run 

 the hazard of the fate of Archimedes : for then the place of their 

 meeting was made a quarter for soldiers.' l 



A description of the rooms occupied by the Royal Society in 

 Gresham College has been preserved. ' The great hall, to which 

 the ascent from the court is by a few steps, is 37 feet long, near 

 20 feet broad, and. 25 or 30 feet high. This spacious room is a 

 noble entrance to the rest of the apartments of the Royal Society. 

 The next room is about 35 feet long, near 20 feet broad and 

 13 feet high ; and in this the Society always met upon St. Andrew's 

 Day for their anniversary elections. The inner room for their 

 ordinary weekly meetings is about 22 feet long and 18 feet broad. 

 These three rooms are all upon the same floor ; from the last, two 

 or three steps convey you into the gallery, which is 140 feet long 

 and 131-2 broad. Beyond is the Repository of their curiosities, 



1 Sprat's * History of th* Royal Society' (1667), p. 57. 



