XXX1Y 
PROCEEDINGS. 
cost including freight being £1,088. The ship conveying his 
purchase arrived in October, narrowly escaping detention by 
a vessel sent by the King of Sweden to intercept it. The 
collections then consisted of about 1,500 volumes of boohs, 
a considerable number of MSS., about 3,000 letters, 19,000 plants, 
3,198 insects, 1,564 shells, 158 fishes on cards and some in spirit, 
a large number of corals, some other zoological specimens, and 
2,424 minerals. 
The possession by Sm'th of this extensive collection led to the 
foundation by him of the Linnean Society in 1788, and to his 
election, in his 30th year, as its first President. 
In that year the young doctor removed from Chelsea to Great 
Marlborough Street, the Society first meeting in the Marlborough 
Coffee-house, near Dr. Smith’s own house, in which shortly 
afterwards two rooms were taken, the meetings thus being held, 
soon after the foundation of the Society, under the roof which 
sheltered the Linnean collections. 
In 1794 Dr. Smith removed to Hammersmith, taking with him 
his collections ; and finally, in 1796, to his native city, Horwich, 
then -selling the minerals but taking the rest of his possessions 
with him. He took his degree of M.D. in 1786, was knighted in 
1814, and died in 1828. 
It was anticipated that the founder of the Linnean Society would 
bequeath to it the Linnean collections, and in this belief he had 
been re-elected President for 40 years; it was therefore with 
great surprise that the Council heard from his executor that he was 
prepared to accept for them from the Society the sum of 5,000 
guineas. This was subsequently reduced to 3,000 guineas, at 
which price the purchase was made in the following year, the 
Fellows of the Society subscribing about half the amount. 
In 1796 the Society removed to Panton Square, Haymarket, 
and while here (in 1802) it obtained its charter from George III; 
in 1805 to Gerrard Street, Soho ; and in 1820, on the death of Sir 
Joseph Banks, to Soho Square, occupying the rooms in his house 
which faced the square, its Librarian, Bobert Brown the botanist, 
occupying the rest of the house. In 1857 the Government provided 
rooms in the old Burlington House, the Fellows of the Society 
subscribing £1,100 for their fitting-up and the expenses of removal, 
and in 1873 the present handsome and commodious quarters were 
erected specially for the Society by the Government. 
The personal relics of the great Swedish naturalist shown to the 
members were an almanack and diary for the year 1735, in which 
was pointed out against the date of his birthday (13th May, 
Swedish style; 23rd May, new style) his own name reversed, 
written by him in large letters; a walking-stick with the Linncea 
borealis on the upper part, believed to have been cut and carved by 
himself; and a carved rhinoceros-horn drinking-cup, being an 
exquisite example of Oriental art. 
Medals struck in commemoration of Linnaeus were shown, each 
with his head on the obverse: one in gold, struck in 1758 for 
