SOCIETY. 



rature. The inftitution was accordingly new-modelled by a 

 printed fet of laws and regulations, the number of members 

 was increafed, and they were dillinguifhed from that time by 

 the title of " The Society for improving Arts and Sciences," 

 or more generally by the title of " The Philofophical Society 

 of Edinburgh." The meetings of this fociety, interrupted in 

 1745, were revived in 1752 ; and, in 1754, the firft volume of 

 their coUeftion was publiftied, under the title of " Effays or 

 Obfervations, Phyfical and Literary," which has been fuc- 

 ceeded by other volumes. This fociety, in confequence of 

 the fuggeftion of the profedors of the univerfity, and par- 

 ticularly of the principal, the Rev. Dr. Robertlon, and the 

 concurrence of the members of the fociety, was incorporated 

 by royal charter, on the 29th of March, 1783, under the 

 name of " The Royal Society of Edmburgh," inftituted 

 for the advancement of learning and ufeful knowledge. 

 The firft meetmg was held on the firll Monday of Auguft, 

 1783 ; when were chofen a prefident, two vice-prefidents, 

 a fecretary, treafurer, and a council of twelve perfons, who 

 are cholen by ballot annually on the lall Monday of No- 

 vember, and by whom the bufinefs of the fociety is con- 

 ducted. The fociety confills of ordinary and honorary 

 members, the latter being reftrifted to perfons refiding out 

 of Great Britain and Ireland. The eleftion of new members 

 is made at two ftated general meetings, held on the fourth 

 Monday of January, and the fourth Monday of June. A 

 candidate for the place of an ordinary member muft fignify, 

 by a letter addrefled to one of the members, his wi(h to be 

 received into the fociety ; and he muft then be publicly 

 propofed at leaft a month before the day of eleftion. If 

 the propofal be feconded by two of the members prefent, 

 his name is to be inferted in the lift of candidates, and hung 

 up in the ordinary place of meeting. The eleftion is made 

 by ballot, and is determined in favour of a candidate, if he 

 fliall have the votes of two-thirds of thofe prefent, in a 

 meeting confitting of at leaft twenty-one members. 



The members are divided into two claffes, which meet 

 and deliberate feparately : one of thefe clalfes is denomi- 

 nated the " Phyfical clafs," and comprehends within its 

 department the fciences of mathematics, natural philofophy, 

 chemiftry, medicine, natural hiltory, and whatever relates 

 to the improvement of arts and manufaftures. The other, 

 denominated the " Literary clafs," has for its department 

 literature, philology, hiftorv, antiquities, and ipeculative 

 philofophy. Each of the claftes has four prefidents and 

 two fecretaries, who officiate by turns. At the meetings 

 of thefe claifes the written elTays and obfervations of the 

 members of the fociety, or their correfpondents, are read 

 publicly, and become the fubjefts of converfation. The 

 ordinary members, who ufually refide in the city of Edin- 

 burgh or its vicinity, are expefted to attend regularly the 

 monthly meetings, and are required to defray, by an annual 

 contribution, the current expences of the inftitution. Tiie 

 members who refide at fuch a diftance from Edinburgh, 

 that they cannot enjoy the advantages arifing from a re- 

 gular attendance on the meetings of the fociety, arc not 

 fubjefted to any contribution for defraying its expences, 

 but have a right to attend thofe meetings when they are 

 occafionally in Edinburgh, and to take part in all their 

 proceedings. This fociety has publifhcd feveral volumes 

 of its Tranfaftions, bearing ample teftimony to the learning 

 and ingenious refearchcs and obfervations of their various 

 authors. 



Society, Royal. See Royal Society. 



There isalfo an Experimental Society at Dublin, for pro- 

 moting natural knowledge, which was inftituted in 1777; the 

 Hjeipbers meet once every week, and diftribute three hono- 



rary gold medals annually for the moft approved difcovery, 

 invention, or eftay, on any mathematical or philofophical 

 fubjeft. The fociety is under the direftion of a prefident, 

 two vice-prefidents, and a fecretary. 



A Literary and Philofophical Society, of confiderable 

 reputation, has been lately eftabliftied at Manchefter, under 

 the direftion of two prefidents, four vice-prefidents, and 

 two fecretaries. The number of members is limited to 

 fifty ; befides whom there are feveral honorary members, all 

 of whom arc elefted by ballot ; and tiie officers are chofen 

 annually in April. Several valuable effays have been al- 

 ready read at the meetings of this fociety, and feveral volumes 

 have been publilhed. 



Society of Antiquaries. See Antiquary. 



Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufadures, 

 and Commerce, was inftituted in the year 1754, in purfuancc 

 of a plan formed in 1753, for the purpoie of exciting 

 emulation and induftry in the improvement of ingenious and 

 commercial arts, the various branches of agriculture, &c. 

 by honourable and pecuniary rewards. It was fet on foot 

 by lord Folkftone, lord Romney, Mr. Shipley, Dr. Hales, 

 and a few other gentlemen ; but its importance and utility 

 foon gained a very confiderable acceffion of members and 

 fubfcribers. This fociety, according to its prefent con- 

 ftitution, is under the direftion and management of one pre- 

 fident, fixteen vice-prefidents, the chairmen of the feveral 

 committees of accounts, correfpondence, pohte arts, agri- 

 culture, manufaftures, mechanics, chemiftry, colonies, and 

 trade ; in each of which department there are two, a prin- 

 cipal fecretary, an affiftanl fecretary, regifter, colleftor, 

 and meflenger. The office is in the Adelphi. 



Every perfon, defiring to be a member, muft be propofed 

 by fome member at one meeting, and ballotted for at a 

 fucceeding meeting, and if he be chofen by two-thirds of 

 the members prefent, he is deemed a perpetual member on 

 payment of twenty guineas, or elfe a fubfcribing member 

 on payment of any yearly fum not lefs than two guineas. 



The proceedings of the fociety are regulated by a body 

 of rules and orders eftabliftied for this purpofe ; all quef- 

 tions are determined by holding up of hands or ballot, and 

 no matter can be confirmed without the aftent of the ma- 

 jority at two meetings. They invite the public in general 

 to propofe fubjefts for encouragement, and whatever is 

 deemed deferving attention is referred to the confideration 

 of a committee, which makes a report to the whole locicty, 

 where it is approved, rejefted, or altered. Their premiums, 

 which have been very extenfively beftowed, are either fums 

 of money, or the fociety's medals in gold or filver. 



Their meetings are every Wednefday evening, from the 

 fecond Wednefday in November to the end of May, and 

 at other times on the firft and third Wednefday in every 

 month. 



In the Memoirs of Agriculture, and othtr economical 

 arts, by Mr. Dofiie, Bailey's machines of the Society of 

 Arts, and the Tranfaftions of the Society, of which they 

 have publiftied a great number of volumes, we may fee how 

 various, extenfive, and liberal the plan, which this fociety 

 has adopted and purfued. 



Similar focietics, particularly with a view to the improve- 

 ment of agriculture, have been eftabliftied in different parts 

 of the kingdom. 



The Society inftituted at Bath, in the year 1777, for the 

 encouragement of agriculture, arts, manufaftures, and com- 

 merce, deferves particular mention. The Tranfaftions pub- 

 liftied by this fociety contain many valuable experiments and 

 obfervations, particularly relating to agriculture, which 

 1 1 merit 



