138 THE EARLY HISTORY OF [CHAP. III. 



And on the 30th, Mr. Bernard being secretary, the 

 draft of the charter was read. 



On April 30 Dr. Grlasse was elected honorary secre- 

 tary, and Mr. Bernard treasurer. Mr. Mellish's house 

 in Albemarle Street was ordered to be bought. Count 

 Eumford was asked to see the Kev. Mr. Farish regarding 

 lectures on experimental philosophy. Mr. Swan was 

 chosen as clerk assistant to the treasurer and secretary. 

 Mr. Webster, a young architect twenty-six years old, 

 was engaged as Clerk of the Works. He had been 

 educated at Aberdeen, and had studied at the Royal 

 Academy and with an eminent architect. At this 

 time he had also a small school for about a dozen 

 mechanics. 



In May it was decided that the treasurer and secre- 

 tary should be entitled to assist at all the deliberations 

 of the managers, and a committee of expenditure was 

 appointed. 



On Wednesday, June 5, the managers first met in 

 Albemarle Street. 



In the second volume of the ' Reports of the Society 

 for Bettering the Condition of the Poor,' Mr. Bernard 

 gives an account of the Institution ' so far as it may be 

 expected to affect the poor.' He thus gives a view of 

 the Institution as it was intended to be, June 1, 1799 : 

 6 Besides having a general view to the benefit of arts 

 and manufactures and to the advancement of taste and 

 science in this country, the Institution should specifi- 

 cally direct itself to the improvement of the means of 

 industry and of domestic comfort among the poor. 

 In bettering the condition of the poor there is very 



