decline of science in england-第23部分

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ly。　　I　proposed　that；　in　the　printed　list　of　the　Royal　Society；　a　star　should　be　placed　against　the　name　of　each　Fellow　who　had　contributed　two　or　more　papers　which　had　been　printed　in　the　Transactions；　or　that　such　a　list　should　be　printed　separately　at　the　end。

At　that　period　there　were　109　living　members　who　had　contributed　papers　to　the　Transactions；　and　they　were　thus　arranged：

37　Contributors　of　。　。　1　paper　21　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　2　papers　19　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　3　ditto　5　　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　4　ditto　3　　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　5　ditto　3　　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　6　ditto　＇2　。　。　。　。　　from　7　to　12　ditto　14　。　。　。　of　more　than　12　papers。

100　Contributing　Fellows　of　the　Royal　Society。　589　Papers　contributed　by　them。

Now　the　immediate　effect　of　printing　such　a　list　would　be　the　division　of　the　Society　into　two　classes。　　Supposing　two　or　more　papers　necessary　for　placing　a　Fellow　in　the　first　class；　that　class　would　only　consist　of　seventy…two　members；　which　is　nearly　the　same　as　the　number　of　those　of　the　Institute　of　France。　　If　only　those　who　had　contributed　three　or　more　were　admitted；　then　this　class　would　be　reduced　to　fifty…one。　In　either　of　these　cases　it　would　obviously　become　a　matter　of　ambition　to　belong　to　the　first　class；　and　a　more　minute　investigation　into　the　value　of　each　paper　would　naturally　take　place　before　it　was　admitted　into　the　Transactions。　　Or　it　might　be　established　that　such　papers　only　should　be　allowed　to　count；　as　the　Committee；　who　reported　them　as　fit　to　be　printed；　should　also　certify。　　The　great　objection　made　to　such　an　arrangement　was；　that　it　would　be　displeasing　to　the　rest　of　the　Society；　and　that　they　had　a　vested　right　（having　entered　the　Society　when　no　distinction　was　made　in　the　lists）　to　have　them　always　continued　without　one。

Without　replying　to　this　shadow　of　an　argument　of　vested　rights；　I　will　only　remark　that　he　who　maintains　this　view　pays　a　very　ill　compliment　to　the　remaining　600　members　of　the　Royal　Society；　since　he　does；　in　truth；　maintain　that　those　gentlemen　who；　from　their　position；　accidentally　derive　reputation　which　does　not　belong　to　them；　are　unwilling；　when　the　circumstance　is　pointed　out；　to　allow　the　world　to　assign　it　to　those　who　have　fairly　won　it；　or　else　that　they　are　incapable　of　producing　any　thing　worthy　of　being　printed　in　the　Transactions　of　the　Royal　Society。　Lightly　as　the　conduct　of　the　Society；　as　a　body；　has　compelled　me　to　think　of　it；　I　do　not　think　so　ill　of　the　personal　character　of　its　members　as　to　believe　that　if　the　question　were　fairly　stated　to　them；　many　would　object　to　it。

Amongst　the　alterations　which　I　considered　most　necessary　to　the　renovation　of　the　Society；　was　the　recommendation；　by　the　expiring　Council；　of　those　whom　they　thought　most　eligible　for　that　of　the　ensuing　year。

The　system　which　had　got　into　practice　was　radically　bad：　　it　is　impossible　to　have　an　INDEPENDENT　Council　if　it　is　named　by　ONE　PERSON。　Our　statutes　were　framed　with　especial　regard　to　securing　the　fitness　of　the　members　elected　to　serve　in　the　Council；　and　the　President　is　directed；　by　those　statutes；　at　the　two　ordinary　meetings　previous　to　the　anniversary；　to　give　notice　of　the　elections；　and　〃to　declare　how　much　it　importeth　the　good　of　the　Society　that　such　persons　may　be　chosen　into　the　Council　as　are　most　likely　to　attend　the　meetings　and　business　of　the　Council；　and　out　of　whom　may　be　made　the　best　choice　of　a　President　and　other　officers。〃　This　is　regularly　done；　and；　in　mockery　of　the　wisdom　of　our　ancestors；　the　President　has　perhaps　in　his　pocket

the　list　of　the　future　Council　he　has　already　fixed　upon。

In　some　other　Societies；　great　advantage　is　found　to　arise　from　the　discussion　of　the　proper　persons　to　be　recommended　to　the　Society　for　the　Council　of　the　next　year。　　A　list　is　prepared；　by　the　Secretary；　of　the　old　Council；　and　against　each　name　is　placed　the　number　of　times　he　has　attended　the　meetings　of　the　Council。　　Those　whose　attendance　has　been　least　frequent　are　presumed　to　be　otherwise　engaged；　unless　absence　from　London；　or　engagement　in　some　pursuit　connected　with　the　Society；　are　known　to　have　interfered。　　Those　members　who　have　been　on　the　Council　the　number　of　years　which　is　usually　allowed；　added　to　those　who　go　out　by　their　own　wish；　and　by　non…attendance；　are；　generally；　more　in　number　than　can　be　spared；　and　the　question　is　never；　who　shall　retire？but；　who；　out　of　the　rest　of　the　Society；　is　most　likely　to　work；　if　placed　on　the　Council？

If　any　difference　of　opinion　should　exist　in　a　society；　it　is　always　of　great　importance　to　its　prosperity　to　have　both　opinions　represented　in　the　Council。　　In　this　age　of　discussion　it　is　impossible　to　stifle　opinions；　and　if　they　are　not　represented　in　the　Council；　there　is　some　chance　of　their　being　brought　before　the　general　body；　or；　at　last；　even　before　the　public。　　It　is　certainly　an　advantage　that　questions　should　be　put；　and　even　that　debates　should　take　place　on　the　days　appropriated　to　the　anniversaries　of　societies。　　This　is　the　best　check　to　the　commencement　of　irregularities；　and　a　suspicion　may　reasonably　be　entertained　of　those　who　endeavour　to　suppress　inquiry。

On　the　other　hand；　debates　respecting　the　affairs　of　the　Society　should　never　be　entered　on　at　the　ordinary　meetings；　as　they　interrupt　its　business；　and　only　a　partial　attendance　can　be　expected。　　That　the　conduct　of　those　who　have　latterly　managed　the　Royal　Society　has　not　led　to　such　discussions；　is　to　be　attributed　more　to　the　forbearance　of　those　who　disapprove　of　the　line　of　conduct　they　have　pursued；　than　to　the　discretion　of　the　party　in　not　giving　them　cause。

The　public　is　the　last　tribunal；　one　to　which　nothing　but　strong　necessity　should　induce　an　appeal。　　There　are；　however；　advantages　in　it　which　may；　in　some　cases；　render　it　better　than　a　public　discussion　at　the　anniversary。　　When　the　cause　of　complaint　is　a　system　rather　than　any　one　great　grievance；　it　may　be　necessary　to　enter　more　into　detail　than　a　speech　will　permit；　also　the　printed　statement　and　arguments　will　probably　come　under　the　consideration　of　a　larger　number　of　the　members。　　Another　and　a　considerable　benefit　is；　that　there　is　much　less　danger　of　any　expression　of　temper　interrupting　or　injuring　the　arguments　employed。

There　were　other　points　suggested；　but　I　shall　subjoin　the　Report　of　the　Committee：

REPORT　OF　THE　COMMITTEE　APPOINTED　TO　CONSIDER　THE　BEST　MEANS　OF　LIMITING　THE　MEMBERS　ADMITTED　INTO　THE　ROYAL　SOCIETY；　AS　WELL　AS　TO　MAKE　SUCH　SUGGESTIONS　ON　THAT　SUBJECT　AS　MAY　SEEM　TO　THEM　CONDUCIVE　TO　THE　WELFARE　OF　THE　SOCIETY。

Your　Committee　having　maturely　considered　the　resolution　of　the　Council　under　which　they　have　been　appointed；　and　having　satisfied　themselves　that　the　progressive　increase　of　the　Society　has　been　in　a　much　higher　ratio　than　the　progressive　increase　of　population；　or　the　general　growth　of　knowledge；　or　the　extension　of　those　sciences　which　it　has　been　the　great　object　of　the　Society　to　promote；　they　have　agreed　to　the　following　Report：

Your　Committee　assume　as　indisputable　propositions；　that　the　utility　of　the　Society　is　in　direct　proportion　to　its　respectability。　　That　its　respectability　can　only　be　secured　by　its　comprising　men　of　high　philosophical　eminence；　and　that　the　obvious　means　of　associating　persons　of　this　eminence　will　be　the　public　conviction；　that　to　belong　to　the　Society　is　an　honour。　Your　Committee；　therefore；　think　themselves　fully　borne　out　in　the　conclusion；　that　it　would　be　expedient　to　limit　the　Society　to　such　a　number　as　should　be　a　fair　representation　of　the　talent　of　the　country；　the　consequence　of　which　will　be；　that　every　vacancy　would　become　an　object　of　competition　among　persons　of　acknowledged　merit。

From　the　returns　which　have　been　laid　on　your　table；　of　the　Fellows　who　have　contributed　papers；　and　from　the　best　estimate　they　can　make　of　the　persons　without　doors　who　are　engaged　in　the　active　pursuit　of　science；　your　Committee　feel　justified　in　recommending　that　those　limits　should　be　fixed　at　four　hundred；　exclusive　of　foreign　members；　and　of　such　royal　personages　as　it　may　be　thought　proper　to　admit。

As　many　years　must　elapse　before　the　present　number　of　seven　hundred　and　fourteen　can　be　reduced　to　those　limits　by　the　course　of　nature；　and　as　it　would　be　prejudicial　to　the　interests　of　the　Society　and　of　science；　that　no　fresh　accessions　should　take　place　during　that　long　period；　your　Committee　would　further　recommend；　that　till　that　event　takes　place；　four　new　members　should　be　annually　admitted。

With　respect　to　the　manner　of　admission；　your　Committee　are　of　opinion；　that　there　are　several　inconveniences　in　the　present　mode　of　proceeding　to　a　single　ballot　upon　each　certificate；　according　to　its　seniority。　If　the　above　limitation　should　be　adopted；　it　may　be　presumed；　that　for　every　vacancy　there　will　be　many　candidates；　from　amongst　them；　it　must　be　the　general　wish　to　select　the　most　distinguished　individuals；　but　to　accomplish　this；　if　the　present　system　were　to　be　continued；　it　would　be　necessary　to　reject　all　those　candidates　whose　certificates　were　of　earlier　date　than　theirs；　a　process　not　only　extremely　irritating；　but　probably　ineffectu