1800.] THE ROYAL INSTITUTION. 159 



delivered over to the care of those persons who are to take 

 and have the charge of them, my mind will be at rest, and 

 I can go to Harrogate and give these waters a fair trial, 

 which, as things are now circumstanced, would be im- 

 possible. 



The expensive establishment was at once ordered to 

 be reduced, and the assistant to the Professor was dis- 

 charged. 



The agreement for building the new premises was 

 this month sealed and signed, the treasurer qualified, 

 and the weekly meetings of managers ceased to be 

 held. 



As soon as the basement of the new building was 

 finished, it must have been apparent that it was much 

 too dark and low for a laboratory, and this part of 

 the intended plan was given up. 



Many years afterwards Mr. Webster said of the 

 present laboratory : 'I may perhaps just mention that 

 the chemical laboratory in which so many valuable 

 discoveries have been made was not only designed and 

 built by me, but owes to me its very existence, for, 

 though I inserted it in my plans, the managers did not 

 at first consider it necessary.' 



In August Mr. Webster thus wrote to Count 

 Rumford, who was then at Harrogate : 



I have deferred writing to you so long in expectation of 

 being able to send you drawings of the proposed mode of 

 building the laboratory. Mr. Hatchett has been several 

 times at the Institution and has given his opinion respect- 

 ing it, from which the drawings have been made out. 

 There was a meeting of managers on Monday last, at which 



