163 



Royal Society, who, after he has perused them, can send them 

 to Oxford' (where a similar society, under the care of Mr. 

 Musgrave, had just been established), ' as you likewise by 

 him may send hither. After Christmas that we next meet, 

 our Secretary will pursue that course ; you smoothing our 

 way at London once again, as it seems you have already 

 done. — After awhile we may perchance ease ourselves of that 

 expense, and have our intelligence for nothing.* However, 

 you may be sure we shall never grudge to defray all manner 

 of charges that shall be incident to our correspondences, and 

 we have raised a fund out of which to do it. By Moses Pit,t 

 if not before, you may expect one or two of their discourses at 

 large : for the way is for particular subjects mentioned in the 

 foregoing meeting to be treated on by particular persons the 

 next, and when they have done, every one that has anything 

 to add or object has his time to express it. I don't give you 

 the names of our society, because you know few of them, 

 except the Bishop of Ferns and Leighlin, Sir William Petty, 

 and Dr. Willoughby, and besides you will receive it more 

 authentic from the Secretary. Several of the number meet 

 on Sunday nights, as the whole company does on Mondays, 

 to discourse theologically, of God, suppose, and His attributes, 

 and how to establish religion and confute atheism by reason, 

 evidence, and demonstration.' 



"Having complimented Dr. Plot, and conveyed to him the 

 thanks and acknowledgments of this ' young society for the 

 promotion of philosophy, on account of the advantageous cor- 

 respondence offered to it by the Royal Society,' he encloses 

 him an account of some previous meetings tending to its 

 ' better regulation, settlement, and future transactions,' and 

 also the Minutes for October 15, 1683. 



- * The Royal Society charged only half payment to the Members of the 

 Dublin Society, (see Minutes for 4th July, 1685). 



t Moses Pit, a celebrated London bookseller, and publisher of " The 

 Atlas." 



