270 MEMOIR OF AUGUSTUS DE MORGAN. 



1859. 



Inspection, I think, of Scientific Instruments, but he did 

 not give much work to this. 



1861. An uncompromising character like my husband's must, 



i- while the world is what it is, sometimes make its owner 

 cai Society. a pp ear combative. And indeed it always needs some 

 kindness and geniality in a dissentient to produce the 

 conviction that he is not actuated by love of opposition in 

 the part he takes. 



Mr. De Morgan's fellow-workers in any cause soon 

 knew him well enough to feel sure what part he would 

 take in any occasion of difficulty involving self-sacrifice 

 for principle. An occasion of this sort occurred in 1861, 

 when he left the Council of the Eoyal Astronomical 

 Society. 



The following list will show the offices he had held 

 since he joined it in 1828 : 



Feb. 1830. He was elected a member of the Council. 



1831. Secretary with Hon. Mr. Wrottesley. 



1832-38. Secretary with change of colleague. 



1839-40. One of the Vice-Presidents. 



1841-42. Member of Council. 



1843-44. One of the Yice-Presidents. 



1845-47. Member of Council. 



1848-54. Secretary with Admiral Manners. 



1855-56. One of the Vice-Presidents. 



1857. Member of Council. 



1858. Vice-President. 



1859. Member of Council. 



1860. Vice-President. 



1861. Elected a Vice-President; declined to act. 

 From this list, taken from the Monthly Notices, it 



appears that he held the place of Secretary for fifteen 

 years. By his own statement in the letter given farther 

 on, he filled it for eighteen years. 



In 1860 he retired from the Club. 1 After our removal 



1 This consisted of the most influential members of the Society, 



