PART OF A LIFE HISTORY 
5 
sary ordinary business of the Institution, and not with 
any idea of arbitrary interference with the free and un- 
fettered action of your Society, which the Committee 
would desire to support to the utmost.” . 
Mr. William Sanders, F.R.S., F.G.S., was re-elected 
President, year by year, and remained in office until his 
death in November, 1875. His successor. Dr. Henry 
Edward Fripp, was elected in May, 1876, and continued 
his services until March, 1880, when his death took place. 
At the annual meeting in May, 1880, the recommendation 
of the Council that “ No member shall be eligible for the 
office of President or Vice-President for more than three 
consecutive years ” was adopted, and Dr. George Forster 
Burder was elected. In May, 1883, Dr. John Beddoe, 
F.R.S., succeeded him, and was followed by Professor 
(now Sir) William Ramsay, Ph.D., F.R.S., 1884 to 1886 ; 
Rev. Thomas Hincks, F.R.S., 1887 to 1889 ; Professor C. 
Lloyd Morgan, F.R.S., LL.D., F.G.S., 1890 to 1892 ; and 
Professor Adolph Leipner, F.Z.S., 1893. His lamented 
death, in March, 1894, made a vacancy, which was filled 
by Professor Sydney Young, D.Sc., F.R.S., 1894 to 1896. 
Since then the holders of the office have been Mr. Samuel 
Henry Swayne, M.R.C.S., 1897 and 1898 ; Professor C. 
Lloyd Morgan, again, 1899 and 1900 ; and Arthur B. 
Prowse, M.D., F.R.C.S., 1901 to 1903. 
Of Vice-Presidents there have been, during the forty- 
one years, twenty-five. There was, for many years, no 
limitation as to the number of consecutive re-elections, 
and some of the earlier holders of the office served for 
many years in succession. In May, 1880, the rule, above 
referred to, limited the period to three years consecutively, 
and since 1885 the rule has been that the term of office for 
Vice-Presidents shall not exceed two years consecutively. 
This rule has, however, been inadvertently broken in two 
or three instances. 
