whatever errors may have been committed, have arisen from 

 mistaken judgment, rather than from any want of zeal in 

 promoting the objects and the success of the Horticultural 

 Society." 



Nor could the Committee have said less in favour of the 

 management, when it appeared in evidence before them that a 

 large part of the debt had been incurred upon the faith of a 

 promise made by Government in May, 1825, but not fulfilled, 

 that 5000/. should be given to the Corporation in aid of their 

 funds ; that 16,464/. had been sunk in permanent works in the 

 Garden ; that 5737/. had been expended upon procuring plants, 

 &c., from abroad for distribution among the Fellows ; that more 

 than 880/. worth of medals had been given as encouragement to 

 Horticultural skill, and that the costly Transactions had been 

 distributed gratuitously to the Fellows, during a period of twenty 

 years, without the funds of the Corporation having furnished 

 more than about 4000/. for the purpose. 



The Eeport of the Committee of Enquiry led to the resigna- 

 tion of the Secretary, and to a large loss of Fellows, no fewer 

 than 429 withdrawals having been sent in between May 1, 1829, 

 and May 1, 18.32, a circumstance which is not, however, to be 

 wholly ascribed to dissatisfaction, but which was in a great 

 measure caused by a groundless fear of personal liabihty for 

 the debts of the Society, a fear which would not have existed 

 had those who quitted the Society reflected that no personal 

 habOity attaches to the members of a body corporate, which the 

 Society is. 



Unpromising as this state of things undoubtedly was, the 

 Committee of Enquiry had avowed their opinion that " under 



'A 



