464 
Proceedings of the Royal Soeiety 
But no one can study these volumes of the Transactions^ as I 
have done, without feeling that for the first two decades of the 
existence of the Eoyal Society Playfair was the soul and life of the 
institution. His versatility and power have impressed me exceed- 
ingly, high as was the estimate I had previously formed of him. 
Profound and transparently clear, whatever might be the topic, he 
hears about him a far-reaching vigour which never flags. Whether 
it be the Origin and Investigation of Porisms, or the Astronomy of 
the Brahmins, or their Trigonometrical Calculations or Meteorological 
Tables, or a Double Eainbow, nothing seems too great or too small for 
him. Some of his obituary notices are fine pieces of English com- 
position ; in particular, his notice of Dr William Stewart and of 
Hutton, and his fragment on John Clerk of Eldin, which is printed 
in the ninth volume of the Transactions. 
In looking through the list of members towards the commence- 
ment of the Society, two attracted my attention^from no special 
connection between them, excepting that they both were members 
of Johnson’s Club, and both were celebrated in Goldsmith’s poem 
of “ Eetaliation.” The first was one which, by itself, was sufficient 
to confer distinction on any assembly, however distinguished, that 
of Edmund Burke, who, according to Goldsmith’s cynical lines — 
‘ ^ Born for the tmiverse, narrowed his mind, 
And so partly gave np wEat was meant for mankind.” 
When I first observed the name, I wmndered through what channel 
the great Irishman came into that company. Dalzel’s Memoirs, 
however, make that clear. Burke was that year (1784) Lord Eector 
of Glasgow University, and on his return from his installation paid 
a visit to Lord Maitland at Hatton House, and there Dalzel met 
him, was charmed by his conversation, and recruited him for the 
Eoyal Society. I am not aware that he was in Edinburgh on any 
other occasion. Dalzel writes to Sir Eobert Liston on the 20th of 
April 1784 — “Our Eoyal Society is going on extremely well. I 
have proposed Mr Burke and you as new members.” Next month 
he informs Liston that he was unanimously chosen a member, 
“ which,” he says, “ was not the case with Mr Burke. He was 
chosen, but not unanimously — there were several black balls j ” and 
the Professor proceeds to moralise on the occasion. There is no 
