PRESIDENT OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY 



59 



I give the following letters to show his sensitiveness on 

 every question of honour and of public advantage : — 



Brechin Castle, Brechin, N.B., 

 Sept. 19, 1883. 



My dear Foster — We got here yesterday. The Commission 

 does not meet till next week, so like the historical donkey of 

 Jeshurun I have nothing to do but to wax fat and kick in this 

 excellent pasture. 



At odd times lately my mind has been a good deal exercised 

 about the Royal Society. I am quite willing to go on in the 

 chair if the Council and the Society wish it. But it is quite 

 possible that the Council who chose me when the choice was 

 limited to their own body, might be disposed to select some one 

 else when the range of choice is extended to the whole body of 

 the Society. And I am very anxious that the Council should be 

 made to understand, when the question comes forward for dis- 

 cussion after the recess, that the fact of present tenancy consti- 

 tutes no claim in my eyes. 



The difficulty is, how is this to be done? I cannot ask the 

 Council to do as they please, without reference to me, because 

 I am bound to assume that that is what they will do, and it 

 would be an impertinence to assume the contrary. 



On the other hand, I should at once decline to be put in 

 nomination again, if it could be said that by doing so , I had 

 practically forced myself either upon the Council or upon the 

 Society. 



Heaven be praised I have not many enemies, but the two or 

 three with whom I have to reckon don't stick at trifles, and I 

 should not like by any inadvertence to give them a handle. 



I have had some thought of writing a letter to Evans,* such 

 as he could read to the Council at the first meeting in October, 

 at which I need not be present. 



The subject could then be freely discussed, without any vot- 

 ing or resolution on the minutes, and the officers could let me 

 know whether in their judgment it is expedient I should be 

 nominated or not. 



In the last case I should withdraw on the ground of my 

 other occupations — which, in fact, is a very real obstacle, and 

 one which looms large in my fits of blue-devils, which have 

 been more frequent of late than they should be in holiday time. 



* Sir John Evans, K.C.B., then Treasurer of the Royal Society. 



