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Anniversary Meeting. 



[Nov. 30, 



namely, the statutory 15 Fellows elected in the ordinary way and 

 1 Privy Councillor. 



As the Treasurer observed in his address on the last Anniversary, 

 it is obvious that we are rapidly approaching a state of equilibrium 

 between our losses and our gains ; and under the present conditions 

 of election, the strength of the home list may be expected to remain 

 somewhere between 460 and 470. 



While our number thus tends to remain stationary, the list of can- 

 didates for the Fellowship, though it has fluctuated a good deal from 

 year to year, has, on the whole, become longer, until, at present, the 

 candidates are more than four times as numerous as the annual 

 elections sanctioned by our rules. This state of things has given 

 rise to comment, both within and without the Society, on more than 

 one occasion. It has been said that any restriction upon the number 

 of our Fellows is nnwise, inasmuch as we narrow our influence and 

 diminish our revenues thereby ; and, by way of a still more unpleasant 

 suggestion, it is hinted that, by such limitations, we lay ourselves 

 open to the charge of a desire to arrogate to ourselves the position of 

 the elect of science. 



With respect to the first objection I venture to point out, that the 

 influence of the Society npon the advancement of science is not by 

 any means measured either by its numerical strength or by the 

 amount of the funds at its disposal. 



And, as to the second charge or insinuation, if it is worth while to 

 meet it at all (which may be doubtful), I am disposed to think that, 

 in another than the invidious sense of the words, it is highly desirable 

 that the Fellows of the Royal Society should regard themselves, and 

 be regarded by others, as the elect of science. An organisation which 

 was the direct product of the new birth of science in the days of 

 Gilbert, of Galileo, and of Harvey ; which was one of the earliest of 

 the associations founded for the sole purpose of promoting natural 

 knowledge ; and which has so faithfully performed its functions that 

 it is inseparably associated with all the great strides which science 

 has made for two centuries, has insensibly and without effort become 

 a recognised representative of men of science in these islands : as 

 such, on the one hand, it is consulted by the Government on scientific 

 questions ; and, on the other hand, it claims the right to be heard by 

 the Government on all questions of scientific interest. I believe it to 

 be impossible that the Society should discharge the functions which 

 it has not sought, but which have thus devolved upon it, satisfactorily, 

 unless it really does consist, in one sense, of the elect of science ; that 

 is to say unless every care is taken to keep its scientific character at 

 the level of its scientific reputation, and to ensure that it shall be not 

 the mere figure-head of the scientific body, but a living association of 

 representative men engaged in all branches of scientific activity. 



