2 
PART OF A LIFE HISTORY 
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purely scientific aims, and that is dependent solely on, 
voluntary effort, has of necessity a critical constitution 
and an uncertain vitality, and therefore is in constant 
need of extended and sustained support from its whole 
body as well as from individual members.” 
This was said at a time when the Society numbered 
about 240 members, after a few years of steady increase 
from the original membership, and when the record of 
past work was good, and the promise for the future hopeful. 
It is, surely, not inappropriate to quote this now, for 
though our numbers are fewer, the volume of good, honest 
work in recent years has not been inconsiderable, and 
should serve to stimulate a far larger proportion of the 
members to become active workers for the good of all. 
Early in 1862 the late Frederic Adolph Leipner, who 
had adopted our historic old city as his home in 1854, and 
who from childhood had been a true lover of Nature and 
Natural Science, took steps to carry into effect his con- 
viction that there was need of a Society which should 
concentrate and stimulate the scientific life of our city. 
In a few weeks he and six other gentlemen formed them- 
selves into a “ Provisional Committee,” which proceeded 
to sound the scientific mind of Bristol upon the question 
of the proposed Society. The response was very en- 
couraging, for 168 gentlemen signified their willingness 
to join. The Provisional Committee consisted of Mr. 
Stephen Barton, Dr. John Beddoe, Mr. William J. Fedden, 
Dr. Henry Edward Fripp, Mr. Charles T. Hudson, and 
Mr. William Walter Stoddart, with Mr. F. A. Leipner as 
the Hon. Secretary. 
Invitations to an inaugural meeting were sent to the 
168 gentlemen who had replied favourably to the original 
letter, and on Thursday, May 8, 1862, 79 gentlemen met, 
under the Presidency of Rev. Canon Guthrie, in the 
theatre of the “ Bristol Philosophical Institution ” in 
