NOTES ON HISTORY OF THE STATUTES 



Library is to be open Tuesdays and Thurxlay-. from 11 a.m. to '.' p.m., and 

 Fellows may, by leave of the Society or of the Council, take out four volmm- 

 for six weeks. If these are printed books, the Fellow gives merely hi.-s D 

 if MSS., a bond of 50 for each. 



III. THE STATUTKS FROM 1776 to 1831. 



The next edition after that of 1776 appears to be that of 1819 ; it i>, hou 

 ever, merely a reprint of that of 1776, with the additions of Cap. I, Stat. i\. 

 as to Foreign Members, and Cap. XI, Stat. vi, as to the conduct of onliu u s 

 meetings, mentioned above (p. 165 and p. 167). 



(a) Foreign Members. 



In the next edition that of 1823 several important changes are intro- 

 duced. The number of Foreign Members is limited to fifty ; and ' they arc- 

 to be put in nomination as candidates at a meeting of the Council \ instead 

 of the previous complex procedure. The regulations for the election of the 

 Council and officers are much simplified, but not materially altered. 



(b) Foreign Secretary. 



In the edition of 1823 a new Statute, Cap. IX, Stat. iv, institutes a new 

 office, that of the 'Secretary for Foreign Correspondence'. Since 1719 the 

 proceeds of the bequest of Mr. Robert Keck had been ' bestowed on some one 

 of the Fellows ' appointed ' to carry on a foreign correspondence ', but the 

 Fellow performing these duties was appointed by Council at their pleasure, 

 and was styled Assistant to the Secretaries. The new Secretary for Foreign 

 Correspondence was to rank with the two Principal Secretaries. 



(c) Assistant Secretary. 



The office of Clerk was at the same time abolished and that of Assistant 

 Secretary was created. The old Statute relating to the Clerk was, in con- 

 sequence, largely modified. The Assistant Secretary is now made Librarian 

 and House- Keeper, but all mention of the Keeper of the Repository disappears 

 from the Statutes. The facilities for using the Library are increased. 



(d) Annual Contribution*. 



The annual contribution is raised from 'a shilling a week', or thirteen 

 shillings a quarter, to 'one pound a quarter 1 , the admission fee from five 

 guineas to ten pounds, and the composition fee from twenty-six guineas to 

 forty pounds. 



IV. THE STATUTES FROM 1831 TO 1847. 



The edition of 1831 ] contains a few changes which are of no great moment, 

 and chiefly refer to payments (Cap. Ill), the 'bond' being omitted. The 



1 One form of this Edition is simply a reprint of that of 1823, with an Appendix of 

 amended Statutes. 



