294 Life of Count Rumford. 



agers, chosen by and from the proprietors by sealed bal- 

 lots sent in previously to the annual meetings. These 

 managers were to be distributed in three classes of three 

 each, for terms respectively of one, two, and three years, 

 and were to be re-eligible without limitation. ' Fourteen 

 days before the annual meeting the managers for the 

 time being were to send to each proprietor a printed 

 list, authenticated, of such proprietors as had offered or 

 consented to be candidates for the vacancies to be filled 

 in the management. The proprietor was to designate 

 by marking on the list the names of those whom he 

 approved, and then to seal, without his signature, and 

 send the slip to the managers under an additional cover, 

 which he was to sign with his name; this additional cover 

 being torn off, the lists, still sealed, were to be mixed 

 unopened in an urn. By this arrangement only pro- 

 prietors could send in ballots, and their individual 

 ballots would be secret. The managers were to serve 

 without pay or any pecuniary advantage, and were to 

 be held solemnly pledged to the faithful discharge of 

 their duties, and to a strict adherence to the principles 

 of the Institution. They were to keep the property 

 insured, to examine all accounts and disbursements, to 

 keep minutes of their doings, and to practise a rigid 

 economy. They were to give no premiums or rewards 

 of any kind from the funds. Ordinary meetings were to 

 be held weekly, and extraordinary ones when necessary, 

 three of the managers making a quorum for business. 

 The presence of six of the managers, however, should 

 l>c requisite in the making of all rules, regulations, and 

 standing orders, which should have force after having 

 been made known to all the proprietors. There was to 

 be also a committee of visitors, in number the same as 



