subscribed to relieve tlie Society from its embarrassments liad 

 been swallowed up, and the debt of tlie Society remained pre- 

 cisely where it was before the appeal to the FeUows and the 

 public had been made. Notwithstanding this, and notTOth- 

 standing the failure of the Exhibitions in a pecuniary point of 

 view, the Council in 1858, believing such meetings to be essential 

 to the prosperity of the Society, and perhaps misled by an acces- 

 sion of 300 new FeUows during the past year (1857), resolved to 

 continue them ; and having found what seemed a suitable place 

 for holding them, in St. James's Hall, a new bmlding in Picca- 

 dilly, they held three great Meetings there in 1858, which again 

 resulted in a further loss of uj^ wards of 500^., notwithstanding 

 the patronage and presence of Her Majesty and H. R. H. the 

 Prince Consort. The influx of new Fellows did not continue 

 during the year 1858. At the anniversary on 1st of May, 1857, 

 the total number of Fellows of all classes, augmented by the 

 additions of the previous year, amounted to 978 ; on 1st May, 

 1858, they only amounted to 985, the deaths and resignations 

 having all but neutralised the addition of 62 new FeUows. 



The debt had now again risen to nearly 10,000/., and the 

 CouncU felt that matters had reached a crisis when half measures 

 would no longer be of service. 



Whether wisely or not, the steps they took were those of 

 brave men, looking their calamities boldly in the face, and, 

 without shrinking, using such means as were in their power 

 (however distasteful) to meet them. Their first step now was 

 to provide for the most pressing claims. This was done by the 

 interposition of their personal security and liberal advances by 

 way of loan by the wealthiest or most zealous of the Council. 



