10 THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY, 



Mr. Vigors concluded with a glowing eulogy on the qualities 

 that marked out Sir Stamford Raffles as " the individual 

 most fitted to organize and preside over such a national 

 undertaking," and lauded the enthusiasm with which he devoted 

 himself to the cause — while more cautious calculators watching 

 the tide of events, prepared to retreat in misfortune, but ready 

 in case of success to " swell the triumph and partake the gale." 

 It is not improbable that the late Sir William Flower had 

 the substance of this Address in his mind when, at the meeting 

 in the Gardens on the occasion of Queen Victoria's Jubilee in 

 1887, he spoke of Sir Stamford Raffles as the leading spirit 

 of the active and zealous band who united together and 

 "subscribed and expended considerable sums of money for 

 the purpose " of founding the Zoological Society of London. 



The story of the foundation of the Zoological Society has 

 to be pieced together from scanty materials, with the inevitable 

 consequence that there are breaches of continuity. From 

 the covering circular quoted on p. 13 it is evident that in 

 1824 a detailed prospectus of the objects of the Society was 

 circulated privately, and it probably differed in no important 

 particular from that printed on pp. 14-16. No copy of it is 

 now known to exist ; nor is there any record of the names of 

 " the friends of the proposed Society," who met in the July 

 of that year and nominated the Committee by whose authority 

 the corrected prospectus was published. In February, 1825 

 the following circular was issued : 



It is proposed to establish a Society bearing the same relations to 

 Zoology and Animal Life that the Horticultural Society bears to Botany 

 and the Vegetable Kingdom.1 



The object is to attempt the introduction of new races of Quadrupeds, 

 Birds, or Fishes, etc., applicable to purposes of utility, either in our Farm 

 Yards, Gardens, Woods, Waters, Lakes, or Rivers ; and to connect with 

 this object a general Zoological collection of prepared specimens. 



The Admission Fee to the Society is Three Pounds, and the Annual 

 Subscription Two Pounds. 



If it is your wish to be an original member of this Society, you 

 will be so good as to signify the same to Mr. T. Griffiths, 21, 

 Albemarle Street. 



Two copies of this circular are preserved among some 

 papers formerly belonging to Mr. Yarrell, at No. 3, Hanover 



