First Meeting of the Society. 75 



Massey, who was the first President of the Society, and 

 stood alone according to the MS. books of the Society, 

 although in the first list printed by the Society he is put 

 along with Dr. Percival. In the MS. journal the first 

 presidents are Dr. Mainwaring, and James Massey, Esq. 



In the ' Memorials of St. Ann's Church, by the Rev. 

 Charles Wareing Bardsley, M.A.,' it is said, p. 93, that the 

 Manchester Literary and Philosophical was founded chiefly 

 through the exertions of the Rev. Samuel Hall, a very 

 popular minister, and curate of St. Ann's, and afterwards 

 first rector of St. Peter's, for whom especially we may say 

 that church was built. This clergyman was an active man, 

 and may have helped to bring the founders of the Society 

 to a decision, but it has not appeared that there is any- 

 thing to cause a change in the account of the source of the 

 spirit which ruled in the Society, and Mr. Hall himself was 

 not one of the original members, but was elected on 

 April II. 



First and Second Meetings of the Society, from 

 THE 'Journal.' 



Office7's^ Februa?y 28, 1781. 



Peter Mainwaring, M.D. 1 p^ -^ f 



James Massey, tsq. J 



Mr. Thomas Henry, F.R.S. 1 o . • 



,/r r- T> f ' • • • Secretaries. 



Mr. George Bew J 



First Meeting, March 14, 1781. 



Present — Dr. Mainwaring, James Massey, Esq., Dr. Wright, 

 Dr. Eason, Dr. Bell, Mr. Charles Wright, Mr. William White, Mr. 

 Richard Hall, Mr. Uniach, Dr. Drinkwater, Mr. Poller, Mr. 

 Henry. 



Read an account of the Harmattan, by Dr. Dobson. 



