THE ROYAL SOCIETY 79 



Roy, Dr. Heberden, etc., formed a committee with 

 Blagden, and resolved " to prevent a few turbulent 

 individuals from continuing to interrupt the peace of the 

 Society " (Blagden to Banks, April 5, 1784). Their 

 efforts were successful in discountenancing any further 

 obstruction or disunion on personal matters. After the 

 election, which gave one hundred and thirty-nine votes 

 for Blagden and thirty-nine for Hut ton, the meetings 

 quickly resumed their old peaceful career. 



Sir Joseph bore his victory without elation, and, on the 

 anniversary meeting of the Society, he addressed the 

 assembled Fellows in a manly and generous way, as 

 follows i 1 



" From the appearance of our present Meeting, I will 

 venture to foretell that our disputes are at an end ; 

 that the gentlemen from whom I have had the misfortune 

 to differ in opinion will abide by the decisions of the 

 Society, which they have repeatedly taken, agree with 

 me in a determination to throw a veil of oblivion over 

 all past animosities, and unite once more in sincere efforts 

 toward the advancement of the Society, the honour and 

 reputation of which we have all equally pledged ourselves 

 to support. 



" But, enough of dissension : a word never more, I 

 sincerely hope, to be heard within these walls ; dedicated 

 as they are by a generous Monarch to the service of 

 Science. Peace and harmony should ever be found within 

 them, for under the influence of peace and harmony 

 among those who profess to cultivate it Science can only 

 flourish. Let us unite once more then, my friends, to 

 fulfil the wise purposes of our liberal Patron and Bene- 

 factor ; and resume at the same time the prudent 

 conduct of your predecessors, who for more than a century 

 supported the honour of this Society unsullied, and have 

 bequeathed it to us as they received it. They never 

 1 Weld, II, 1 68. 



