1883 PRESIDENT OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY 341 



At odd times lately my mind has been a good deal 

 exercised about the Royal Society. I am quite willing 

 to go on in the Chair if the Council and the Society wish 

 it But it is quite possible that the Council who chose 

 me when the choice was limited to their own body, 

 might be disposed to select some one else when the range 

 of choice is extended to the whole body of the Society. 

 A.nd I am very anxious that the Council should be made 

 to understand, when the question comes forward for 

 discussion after the recess, that the fact of present tenancy 

 constitutes no claim in my eyes. 



The difficulty is, how is this to be done ? I cannot 

 ask the Council to do as they please, without reference to 

 me, because I am bound to assume that that is what they 

 will do, and it would be an impertinence to assume the 

 contrary. 



On the other hand, I should at once decline to be put 

 in nomination again, if it could be said that by doing so 

 I had practically forced myself either upon the Council 

 or upon the Society. 



Heaven be praised I have not many enemies, but the 

 two or three with whom I have to reckon don't stick at 

 trifles, and I should not like by any inadvertence to give 

 them a handle. 



I have had some thought of writing a letter to Evans, 1 

 such as he could read to the Council at the first meeting 

 in October, at which I need not be present. 



The subject could then be freely discussed, without 

 any voting or resolution on the minutes, and the officers 

 could let me know whether in their judgment it is ex- 

 pedient I should be nominated or not 



In the last case I should withdraw on the ground of 

 my other occupations which, in fact, is a very real 

 obstacle, and one which looms large in my fits of blue- 



1 Sir John Evans, K.C.B., then Treasurer of the Royal 

 Society. 



