160 



* Every person that would propose a Candidate shall first give in his name to 

 some of the Councell, that so in the next Councell it may be discoursed viva 

 we whether the person is known to be so qualified as in probability to be 

 useftill to the Society. And if the Councell return no other Answer but that 

 they desire further time to be acquainted with the gentleman proposed, the 

 Proposer is to take that for an Answer. And if they are well assured that the 

 Candidate may be usefull to the Society then the Candidate shall be proposed 

 at the next meeting of the Society and ballotted according to the Statute in 

 that behalf, and shall immediately sign the usual Bond and pay his admission 

 money upon his Admission.' 



Neither the Statutes of 1663, nor the Edition of 1752, make any mention of 

 the ' Bond for the payment of the contribution ' ; the words first occur in the 

 Edition of 1776, but the actual Bonds preserved in the Archives of the Society 

 date from January 1, 1674, onwards. (See Note on p. 173.) 



In 1728, January 4th (1727 old style), the following Statute was passed, that 

 of 1682 being apparently repealed : 



' Everv Person to be Elected Fellow of the Society shall first at a Meeting 

 of the Society be propounded as a candidate to be approved by the Council, 

 and shall be recommended by three members, one of which at least shall be a 

 member of the Council, and one of them shall at the same Time mention and 

 specify the qualification of the said Candidate. And afterwards such Person 

 shall at another meeting of the Society (whereat there shall be a competent 

 Number for making Elections) be referred back from the Council if approved, 

 and shall then be propounded and put to the Vote for Election Saving 

 and Excepting that it shall be free for every one of his Majesties Subjects who 

 is a Peer or the son of a Peer of Great Britain or Ireland, and for every one 

 of his Majesties Privy Council of either of 'the said kingdoms to be propounded 

 by any single Person and to be put to the Vote for Election on the same Day, 

 there being present a competent Number for making Elections.' 



This, however, was in turn, very soon, viz., in 1730, changed to the follow- 

 ing form, all mention of Council being omitted from the Statute : 



' X. Every person to be elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, shall be 

 propounded and recommended at a meeting of the Society by three or more 

 Members ; who shall then deliver to one of the Secretaries a paper, signed by 

 themselves with their own names, specifying the name, addition, profession, 

 occupation, and chief qualifications; the inventions, discoveries, works, writings, 

 or other productions of the candidate for Election ; as also notifying the usual 

 place of his habitation. 



A fair copy of which paper, with the date of the day when delivered, shall 

 lie fixed up in the common meeting room of the Society at ten several ordinary 

 meetings, before the said candidate shall be put to the ballot : Saving and 

 excepting, that it shall be free for every one of his Majesty's subjects, who is a 

 Peer or the Son of a Peer of Great Britain or Ireland, and for every one of his 



