SOCIETIES. 
sanction til! 1751, when George II. granted 
the infant association a charter of incorpo- 
ration, dated November 2, in the above 
year ; this instrument declared the mo- 
narch to be the founder and patron of the 
society, which is enabled to receive and hold 
in perpetuity any antiquities, books, manu- 
scripts, &c. and lands, tenements, and here- 
ditaments, not exceeding the yearly value 
of one thousand pounds, which the genero- 
sity of individuals may prompt them to 
bestow on the members collectively ; or the 
society may purchase property of the same 
description, to the same amount, without li- 
cence of alienation in mortmain. 
The government of the society consists 
of twenty-one persons, of whom one is con- 
stituted the president, and the first so ho- 
noured was the celebrated Martin Folkes, 
Esq. who held that office till the 23d of 
April, the day appointed for all subsequent 
elections, which the charter declares shall 
be annual. The first council under the 
act of incorporation contained the names 
of Viscount Fitz william, Lord Willoughby 
of Parham, James West, Esq. Mr. Gale, 
Mr. Wray, Dr. Browne Willis, Dr. Rawlin- 
son, and Andes and Vertue, names that re- 
flected honour on the nation, and were well 
calculated to confirm the credit and stabi- 
lity of the society, which the King ordained 
should be composed of men of aeknow- - 
ledged abilities, judging from the following 
excellent criterion of their pretensions, 
“ by how much any person shall be more 
excelling in the knowledge of the antiquities 
and history of this and other nations ; by 
how much the more they are desirous to 
promote the honour, business, and emolu- 
ments of this society ; and by how much 
the more eminent they shall be for piety, 
virtue, integrity, and loyalty ; by so much 
the more fit and worthy shall such person 
be judged of being elected and admitted 
into the said society.” 
Their transactions, as a body, are under 
the control of an elective director, who 
superintends the progress of intended works, 
of which the Society have published fifteen 
quarto volumes under the title Archaeologia, 
illustrated with engravings, three of Ve- 
tusta Monumenta, and a very considerable 
number of separate prints, and particularly 
of elevations of cathedrals. 
The general meetings of the society are 
held on every Thursday evening between 
the months of November and July, and im- 
piediately before the sitting of the Royal 
gociety, whose apartments are separated 
by an anti-room, common to both, from 
those belonging to the Antiquarians, in So- 
merset House; in the left wing of which 
the latter have an excellent library, open 
to the fellows from ten till four o’clock 
every day, who have the further privilege 
of borrowing books for any time not ex- 
ceeding a month, by a written application 
at a general meeting, or to the secretary 
during tlie recess. 
Similar to the proceedings of the Royal 
Society, all communications mast be made 
to the secretary', who reads those thought 
to possess sufficient merit, and in the same 
manner exhibits fragments of antiquity and 
drawings, all which are heard and exa- 
mined in profound silence. 
Society for the encouragement of Arts, 
Manufactures, and Commerce. This institu- 
tion originated from the truly patriotic 
views of several w'orthy members of the 
community, who were, sensible that rewards 
from a society formed of the noble, the 
rich, and the learned, were better calcu- 
lated to produce emulation in every de- 
partment of the pursuits mentioned in the 
title of it, than the mere prospect of advan- 
tage to be derived from the employment of 
individuals. The idea seems to have met 
the approbation of the public, and a very 
short time elapsed ere sufficient sums of 
money were procured to set this useful 
and respectable body in motion : we now 
find them fixed in a superb mansion, part 
of the Adelphi Buildings, splendidly adorn- 
ed with paintings presented by the late Mr. 
Barry, the work of his own pencil, and sur- 
rounded by imraerons models of articles, 
which render their inventors memorable, 
and their patrons more honourable mem- 
bers of society than the most adventurous 
military heroes of ancient or modern 
times. 
Subscriptions for life, and by the year, and 
some other resources, supply the wants of 
the institution, which are confined to the 
actual expenses of their hall, their officers, 
and servants, and the rewards honorary and 
pecuniary. In explaining their motives, 
they say their object is to promote the 
arts, manufactures, and commerce of this 
kingdom, by giving rewards for all such 
useful inventions, discoveries, or improve- 
ments, as tend to that purpose ; and in 
piii’suance of this plan, the society has 
already expended between forty and fifty 
thousand pounds, advanced by the volun- 
tary subscription of their members, and 
legacies bequeathed. The inauner in which 
