1827 Alexander von Humboldt 291 



election of Francis Baily and the Rev. Dr. Edmund Good- 

 enough. 



Mr. Baily 's qualifications have already (p. 281) been given. 

 He had been elected into the Royal Society in 1821. Dr. 

 Goodenough was the son of the Bishop of Carlisle already 

 mentioned (p. 233). He was at this time headmaster of 

 Westminster School, and afterwards was appointed Dean of 

 Wells. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1824. 



In the absence of the President the chair was taken by 

 Sir Everard Home, Dr. Wollaston, Mr. Davies Gilbert, 

 Mr. Marsden, or other member of long-standing. The 

 Treasurer's health was now failing, but he was able to attend 

 most of the meetings up to the date of the Anniversary ; 

 his last appearance at the Club was on August i6th. He 

 died on 6th January 1828 in his sixty-ninth year. Before 

 arrangements could be made to carry on the affairs of the 

 Club intimation was received from the landlord of the 

 " Crown and Anchor Tavern " that he intended to give up 

 the premises at Michaelmas this year. As a sale of the 

 furniture of the house would then take place no meetings 

 of the Club were held after August 30th until November 

 I5th, when the sittings of the Royal Society were resumed 

 after the recess. The Society met on 5th November when 

 a letter from Sir Humphry Davy was read, intimating his 

 resignation of the Presidentship. On the same date the 

 Council nominated Mr. Davies Gilbert to be President and 

 this nomination was confirmed by the Society at its Anni- 

 versary on the 3Oth of the month. It does not appear 

 from the records whether the " Crown and Anchor " was 

 dismantled, as the landlord designed. Certainly the Club 

 continued to dine there for twenty years more. 



The most illustrious foreign guest of the year was Baron 

 von Humboldt (p. 253), who dined on May 3rd on the invita- 

 tion of Captain Kater, Mr. Davies Gilbert being in the chair. 

 On that occasion there was a party of twenty Colonel 

 Colby brought Murchison ; Sir Alexander Johnston intro- 

 duced Captain Beaufort, Mr. Babbage was host to Dr. 

 Lardner, who this year became Professor of Natural Philo- 



