Preface. ix 



done entirely by honorary or voluntary labour, and 

 Mr. Bailey and Mr. Windsor have done much, 

 whilst we now claim very greedily a large share of 

 Mr. Nicholson's time. 



There is another point of even greater import- 

 ance. Our fees are two guineas per annum, besides 

 an equal sum for entrance. This sum is sufficient to 

 exclude many of the younger scientific men. It 

 ought to be our aim rather to encourage such. Be- 

 sides this, it would be much more honourable to be 

 a member of a scientific society if no payment were 

 requisite beyond scientific contributions, and I should 

 be glad if we could rather show an example of elect- 

 ing many ordinary members without waiting till they 

 sought for admission, in addition to honorary members 

 elected as at present, looking rather to the intellectual 

 gain than the help to be derived from the revenue 

 Of the younger men who are inclined to be original 

 workers, we might wisely add a considerable 

 number, and the community would receive more 

 direct benefit from our work, and take more interest 

 in it. I should be glad to see the Society able to 

 aid those who show themselves able to originate 

 ideas and ready to work them out. 



In any case it would be better if we could afford 

 to lower the subscription. I have always had an 



