EARLY HISTORY OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY 



by twice the focal length of the small mirror. As, how- 

 ever, the image is inverted, the Cassegrain form is not 

 suitable for viewing terrestrial objects. 



It may be mentioned here that in 1785 the President, 

 Sir Joseph Banks, at the request of Sir William Herschel, 

 and with the sanction of the Council, laid before George in. 

 that astronomer's scheme for constructing a reflecting 

 telescope on Newton's plan, of the colossal dimensions 

 of forty feet in length and four feet aperture. The King 

 approved the project, and promised to defray the cost 

 of constructing the instrument. The telescope was satis- 

 factorily completed, and erected at Slough in 1789, at 

 a cost of 4000. 



The first anniversary dinner of the Society took place 

 on the 3Oth November 1663. Evelyn, in his Diary, under 

 the above date, says : " It being St. Andrew's day, 

 who was our Patron, each Fellow wore a St. Andrew's 

 cross of ribbon on the crown of his hat. After the election 

 we dined together, His Majesty sending us venison (two 

 does)." 



In his Diary, Pepys writes : " I had his cross on my 

 hat, as the rest had, which cost me 2s." 



This early custom of the Fellows wearing a St. 

 Andrew's cross of ribbon at the Anniversary Meeting, as 

 well as the practice of the President of keeping on his 

 hat in the chair, except when addressing the Fellows, 

 and his wearing the large cornelian ring, bearing the 

 Arms of the Society, bequeathed by Martin Folkes for 



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