242 Presidentship of Sir Joseph Banks 1812 



firm in my adversity, true in counsel and trusty in peril, 

 a friend often tried and never found wanting." After a 

 varied parliamentary and official career Hobhouse was 

 raised to the Peerage with the title of Baron Broughton 

 de Gyfford, but it will be by his commoner's name that he 

 will be best remembered. 



Sir Abraham Hume, Bart., has been already mentioned 

 (p. 158). He was elected into the Royal Society as far back 

 as 1775, and when he died in 1838 at the age of 89, he 

 was the oldest Fellow on the Society's list. Sir John 

 Sinclair, Bart., was several times invited by Sir Joseph 

 Banks this year 



Lord Redesdale (John Freeman Mitford), another of the 

 President's guests, after a successful career as a barrister 

 and member of Parliament, rose in 1801 to be Speaker of 

 the House of Commons. Next year he was appointed Lord 

 Chancellor of Ireland and raised to the peerage with the 

 title of Baron Redesdale. He was elected into the Royal 

 Society in 1794. 



1813. The Anniversary Meeting, held on I5th July 1813, 

 was attended by twenty members. In the absence of 

 the President the chair was taken by the Treasurer, who 

 informed the meeting that the disbursements since last 

 Anniversary amounted to 88 us. 6d. and that there was 

 an adverse balance of 30 i8s. 8d. It was resolved that 

 the contribution should be one pound from each member. 



The death of Dr. Samuel F. Simmons and John Towneley 

 was reported. Including the vacancy left unfilled at the 

 last annual General Meeting there were now three vacancies. 

 The list of candidates having been read and each name 

 having been put separately to the ballot, William Thomas 

 Brande, Sir Robert Harry Inglis, Bart., and Samuel Davies 

 were declared to be elected. 



The names of four members were given out by the Treasurer 

 as not having attended since the last Anniversary, and one 

 of them not for the last two years, none having assigned 

 any reason for his absence. But the Club had become much 

 more lenient in this matter. No action was taken with 



