1788 Sir John Sinclair ; Dr. Burney \ 8 1 



Mechain in the operations of connecting the observatories 

 of Paris and Greenwich. 



The English visitors who this year dined for the first 

 time with the Club included a few of general interest. One 

 of these was Sir John Sinclair of Ulbster in Caithness, who 

 has been already referred to in connection with the mis- 

 deeds of Eric Rudolf Raspe. He was one of the most 

 active-minded and philanthropic Scotsmen of his day who 

 among his various undertakings conceived the idea of having 

 a statistical account of Scotland drawn up for each parish 

 by its resident parish minister and edited by himself. This 

 important work, begun in 1791 and completed in eight years, 

 was the first fairly complete detailed account of the statistics 

 of the country. He had received a baronetcy the year before 

 Sir Joseph Banks introduced him to the Club. 



Dr. Burney, likewise invited by the President, was doubt- 

 less the musician who is as well known for being the father 

 of the lively Frances, as for his " History of Music/' 



" Mr. Piozzi " who was the guest of Dr. Shepherd on 8th 

 November was probably the Italian musician whom Mrs. 

 Thrale married. After that unpopular alliance she and her 

 husband retired to Italy, but they returned to London this 

 year to find that the social world was now willing to receive 

 them. 



1788. The Annual General Meeting on July 3ist 1788 was 

 attended by thirteen members, Sir Joseph Banks presiding. 

 It was then reported that on the death of Mr. Russell, the 

 late Treasurer, in the month of August of the previous 

 year, Mr. Topham had been requested by the President 

 and members present at the meeting on the i6th of that 

 month to undertake the duties of the office until the next 

 election. He now announced that in consequence of Mr. 

 Russell's illness the entries in the Club's books had not 

 been made since the end of the year 1785, but that he had 

 himself continued these entries " in the several books, 

 namely the weekly Register, the annual Minute-book and 

 the Account-book down to the present time." It appeared 

 that a balance of 21 193. was owing by the Fund to him 



