THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF LONDON 



come and go and converse together even during the 

 reading of a paper almost as if this were a mere social 

 gathering. As it is thus the least formal, the French 

 meeting is also by far the most democratic of great 

 scientific gatherings. Its doors are open to whoever 

 may choose to enter. The number who avail them- 

 selves of this privilege is not large, but it includes, on 

 occasions, men of varied social status and of diverse 

 races and colors none of whom, so far as I could ever 

 discern, attracts the slightest attention. 



At the German meeting, again, absolute silence 

 reigns. No one thinks of leaving during the session, 

 and to make any sound above a sigh would seem al- 

 most a sacrilege. But at the Royal Society an occa- 

 sional auditor goes or comes, there are repeated audible 

 signs of appreciation of the speaker's words, and at the 

 close of the discourse there is vigorous and prolonged 

 applause. There is also a debate, of the usual char- 

 acter, announced by the president, in which "stran- 

 gers" are invited to participate, and to which the lect- 

 urer finally responds with a brief Nachwort, all of 

 which is quite anomalous from the German or French 

 stand -points. After that, however, the meeting is de- 

 clared adjourned with as little formality in one case as 

 in the others, and the fellows file leisurely out, while 

 the attendant speedily removes the mace, in official 

 token that the seance of the Royal Society is over. 



THE LIBRARY AND READING-ROOM 



But the "stranger" must not leave the building 

 without mounting to the upper floor for an inspec- 

 tion of the library and reading-room. The rooms 



