A Note on the History of the Statutes of the Society. 113 



Fellows, the Statutes of this edition are very like those at present in 

 force. 



The Statutes of 1847. 



Verj soon after, however, viz., in 1846, a Committee of Council was 

 appointed to consider the mode of Election of Fellows, with the result 

 that in 1847 new Statutes were enacted, regulating the Election of 

 fifteen Fellows annually, according to the plan at present in use. 

 These Statutes mark an epoch in the history of the Society. 



The Changes from 1847 to 1888. 



The most notable changes which have since then been enacted or 

 proposed are as follows : 



On "November 3rd, 1864, the repeal of the Statute relating to the 

 admission of strangers to the meetings was moved, but negatived ; 

 and again, on March 21st, 1867, a proposal that the public be ad- 

 mitted to the Ordinary Meetings of the Society was negatived. 



In 1865 the privileged class (Cap. I, Sec. 4) was extended to 

 include Foreign Sovereign Princes and their sons. 



In 1866 the practice of paying for a proportional part of the year 

 was abolished, and the annual payment was made one in advance. 



In 1871 a new Statute was enacted prohibiting the payment of 

 dividends to Fellows. 



On October 30th, 1873, upon a motion to assimilate the mode of 

 election of the Privileged Class to that of Ordinary Fellows, to place 

 in the hands of the Council the selection of such candidates, and to 

 require "evidence of ascertained special power and disposition to 

 forward the aims of the Society from exceptional, personal, or official 

 advantages of position, or of great eminence in any branch of learn- 

 ing, instead of any qualification based only on accident of lineage or 

 of political status," the Statute concerned was referred to the con- 

 sideration of a Committee, and on April 23rd, 1874, the Statute in its 

 existing form was enacted. 



On December 17th of same year, 1874, a Committee was appointed 

 to consider the election of candidates for Fellowship, which Com- 

 mittee presented, on November 30th, 1875, a long report giving 

 reasons why no changes should be made. 



In 1878-9 changes were made in the payment of fees. 



In 1879 the Statutes relating to Foreign Members were altered to 

 their present form. 



In 1880 (February 19) the hour of meeting was changed from the 

 evening to the afternoon. 



In 1885 the time during which the Library is open to Fellows was 

 extended. 



In 1888 the Statute, Cap. XI, Sec. 2, was altered to admit of an 



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