1763 The Due de Nivernais and Peace 8 1 



him in that high appointment. They are recorded by 

 Josiah Colebrooke as " Mr. Professor Bliss " and " Mr. 

 Mascaline." 



1763. The Annual General Meeting was held on July 

 25th, and was attended by fifteen members, with James 

 Burrow in the Chair. The Treasurer's statement showed 

 that the expenses amounted to 6 ios., of which 5 os. 6d. 

 was due to deficiencies in the dinner attendance. 



The death of Dr. Charles Feake and Peter Davall was 

 announced. The two vacancies thus caused were filled up 

 by the election of Samuel Mead (F.R.S. 1738) and Israel 

 Wilkes (F.R.S. 1760). 



On the loth February 1763 the Peace of Paris between 

 Britain, France and Spain was signed, and peaceful inter- 

 course was once more resumed with our neighbours on the 

 opposite side of the Channel. The event, though not alluded 

 to in the Dinner-register or in the Minute-book, is clearly 

 indicated by the appearance of an unwonted number of 

 foreigners as visitors to the Club. After the misfortunes 

 of the Seven Years' War, France sent as its Ambassador 

 Extraordinary to London Louis Jules, Due de Nivernais, 

 to negotiate the conditions of peace. 1 It is interesting to 

 find that he was made a Fellow of the Royal Society and 

 also dined with the Club on the very day when the final 

 treaty of peace was signed. This eminent nobleman was 

 born in 1716 so that he came to London in the full vigour 

 of manhood. He married when only fifteen, and in an age 

 and country where marital relations were somewhat loosely 

 held, he proved a model of conjugal affection. He had been 

 French Ambassador at Rome, where his influence prevented 

 the condemnation of Montesquieux' " Esprit des Lois " by 

 the authorities of the Index. Lord Chesterfield, writing on 

 6th July 1749 to his son, who was then in Rome, urged him 

 to cultivate the acquaintance of the Duke. " He is in my 

 opinion," said the Earl, " one of the prettiest men I ever 

 knew in my life. I do not know a better model for you 

 to form yourself upon ; pray observe and frequent him as 

 1 He presented his credentials in London on 24th November 1762. 



