THE president's ADDRESS, lOl 



properly belonged to the still older Society of Antiquaries, giving much 

 space in its transactions to details of cases, monstrosities, materia medica 

 and other matters strictly belonging to medical science, and including 

 botany, zoology and mineralogy, as well as mathematical and physical 

 science ; but affording no precedent for combining with these literature 

 or intellectual moral and social sciences. When we consider the low 

 state of science in that age, the very limited number of its cultivators, 

 and the difficulty of communication, we cannot wonder that some time 

 elapsed before the Society displayed much of that power which has 

 since made it a benefietor of mankind. Considering the kind of diffi- 

 culties which have ever presented the greatest obstacles to our own 

 useful progress, it is amusing, and not without its lessons of prudence, 

 to read in the history of the Royal Society, in reference to the year 

 1673, that whereas a few years before there had been about 200 mem- 

 bers, in this year the number was only 146 ; and of these, 79 were 

 persons who had long neglected to pay their subscriptions. It is added : 

 " This great number of defaulters gave much uneasiness to those who 

 wished well to the Society ; and the latter, besides making pressing 

 application for the arrears, seriously contemplated an attempt to enforce 

 payment by legal processes." This attempt, however, never went beyond 

 talk. Greater care was exercised in the election of members ; and as 

 the Society gained strength and importance, defaulters were heard of 

 no more. Those whose necessities or altered tastes make them wish to 

 withdraw, can always do so in a decent and orderly manner, by signi- 

 fying their intention at a proper time. There is only good ground for 

 complaint when individuals wish to be regarded as members, and to 

 enjoy the advantages, yet will not pay sums which, though small in 

 themselves, are absolutely necessary to the working of the Society. I 

 remember, when I resided in London, and had an opportunity of noticing 

 such things, that in the public meeting-room of the Linnaean Society 

 was suspended a board, on which were inscribed the names of all mem- 

 bers above one year in arrear, and it was absolutely forbidden to issue 

 the publications of the Society to any Fellow whose subscription for the 

 current year was not paid up. You see, gentlemen, that we are not 

 alone in having this difficulty to contend with, and that there are means 

 for controlling it. 



But to return to the question of subjects. Among the new Societies 

 which have ariseu in many parts of Great Britain, extension of subjects 

 has been carried to the utmost ; whilst in the metropolis there has been 



