SOCIETIES. 
ballot from the proprietors, direct and go- 
vern all the concerns of the institution ; the 
three first of wliom serve three years, the 
second two years, and the third one year ; 
the whole nine being eligible for re-election, 
as no emolumeiit whatever accrues to the 
managers, they are considered as having 
pledged their lionour to preserve the esta- 
blishment inviolate ; they are required to 
insure the effects under tlieir care from fire ; 
to keep an exact account of all the pro- 
perty, of the receipts and expenditure, 
and minutes of all their proceedings ; be- 
sides preserving the utmost order, and exer- 
cising the strictest economy in all their pecu- 
niary arts ; and they are forbidden to give 
premiums, or rewards, to those who invent 
any things usefiil, the design of the institu- 
tion being exclusively for improvement and 
the diffusion of knowledge. 
A Committee of Visitors, selected from 
the proprietors, totally distinct fiom the 
managers, are appointed to inspect the pro- 
ceedings of the latter. Such is the Royal 
Institution ; from which we shall now turn 
cur attention to the 
London Institution, for the advance- 
ment of Literature and the diffusion of useful 
Knowledge. The original object of the pro- 
moters of this undertaking was the acquisi- 
tion of an extensive and valuable library, 
to diffuse useful knowledge by the means 
of lectures and experiments, and to esta- 
blish a reading room for the reception and 
use of foreign and domestic journals, perio- 
dical works, pamphlets, and new publica- 
tions. Having accomplished this, procured 
H charter, and fairly set the machine in 
motion, the following regulations were 
adopted : aH the concerns of the institution 
are governed by a Committee of Managers, 
composed of the President, four Vice Pre- 
sidents, twenty Managers, and tlie Secre- 
tary, who are chosen by and from tlie pro- 
prietors, one fourth of whom vacate their 
offices annually, but may be re-elected. A 
Committee of Visitors, consisting of tho 
President and twelve other persons, none 
of whom are managers, elected by the pro- 
prietors from their own body, one foiii th 
vacating their offices, as in the case of the 
managers, have authority to examine, at 
any time, every department of the institu- 
tion, making tlieir report, at their own 
option, either to the Corumittee of Mana- 
gers, or Court of Proprietors; and five of 
those concurring in the propriety of the 
measure, may convene a special general 
meeting of the proprietors, after giving 
eight days previous notice. 
An annual meeting is held in April, when 
five auditors are appointed by and from the 
proprietors, who are to examine the ac- 
counts of the institution, and prepare a re- 
port to be printed, and presented to each 
proprietor previous to the next annual 
meeting ; and at this meeting the election 
of the president, one vice-president," five 
managers, three visitors, the treasuier, and 
secretary, takes place. The president, or a 
vice-president, takes the chair ; but if neither 
should happen to be present, a manager is 
to preside : the secretary makes minutes of 
the proceedings, which are read at the next 
meeting, and if then approved of as correct, 
are to be signed by the president, or chair- 
man : notice is given eight days befpre the 
meeting in four of the morning papers, and 
papers for the intended ballot are prepared 
at the house of the institution : many other 
regulations are established on this head, and 
for calling special meetings, whicii are high- 
ly useful and proper, but are too long for 
this article. The managers are empowered 
to engage professors and lecturers, who are 
to enter into courses on experimental philo- 
sophy, chemistry, and on the different de- 
partments of literature and the arts, which 
are to be given annually, or more frequent- 
ly if thought proper, at the rooms of the 
establishment, at whicli time the managers 
are required to be careful that no other 
subjects are treated of except such as are 
decidedly connected with the objects of it. 
The managers are besides to elect and ap- 
point annually, or otherwise, the professors, 
lecturers, librarians, the assistant secret<iries, 
and other officers, who are subject to iheir 
control, and may be dismissed by them ; 
and they have the same powers with all the 
domestic servants of the institution; they 
also direct all the affairs of the house,- and 
make such regulations for it as tliey may 
think proper; appoint a superintendant of 
the inferior officeis, and their expenses ; 
and may permit such attendants as they 
please to reside in the house. Tlie mana- 
gers are required to keep registers of all 
their receipts and payments, their ow’u 
transactions, and those of their agents, &c. 
which, with the necessary vouchers, are to 
be completed to the 31st of December an- 
nually, and laid before the auditors by the 
25th of March following. They have addi- 
tional powers to admit foreigners of liigh 
rank, or of distinguished scientific acquire- 
