161 



scripts and correspondence of both William and Thomas Moly- 

 neaux placed in my hands by Sir Henry Marsh — from a care- 

 ful examination of the documents belonging to it in the 

 Manuscript Library of our University — and from the Minute 

 Book still preserved in the British Museum, which has been 

 accurately noted for the purpose — I have made, through these 

 and other sources, some more memoranda of the history of the 

 Philosophical Society than the usual accounts afford, and 

 these 1 beg leave to offer to the Academy. 



" In the manuscript correspondence of the Molyneaux's just 

 alluded to, we find in a letter from William to his brother 

 Thomas, then in Leyden, and dated 30th October, 1683, N. S,, 

 the following : — ' I have also here promoted the rudiments of 

 a society, for which 1 have drawn up rules, and called it Con- 

 ventio Philosophica. About half a score or a dozen of us have 

 met about twelve or fifteen times, and we have very regular 

 discourses concerning philosophical, medical, and mathemati- 

 cal matters. Our convention is regulated by one chief, who 

 is chosen by the votes of the rest, and is called Arbiter Con- 

 ventionis, at present Dr. Willoughby (the name ' President' 

 being yet a little too great for us). What this may come to I 

 know not ; but we have hopes of bringing it to a more settled 

 society. The event you shall know. Sir W. Petty and all 

 the virtuosi of this place favour it much, and have at some 

 times given us their company.' 



" From this it would appear that Dr. Willoughby was vir- 

 tually, though not in name, the first President, and W. Moly- 

 neaux the original Secretary, although the former honour has 

 been generally conferred on Sir William Petty, who, how- 

 ever, was not elected till the 1st of November, 1684.* 



* "At this election Sir W. Petty and Dr. Willoughby had equal marks 

 for President, but upon a second election Sir William carried it by four 

 votes, so he stood. Afterwards we had a handsome dinner at a tavern, so 

 finished the day." — Mohjneaux Correspondence, Dublin University Maijazine, 

 vol. xviii., p. 489. 



