Page:History of the Royal Astronomical Society (1923).djvu/123

 1840-50] ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY 101 Its Rules. It was one of the Rules that it is the duty of every member to answer the best way he is able any mathe- matical or philosophical question that may be asked of him. Failing which he was fined twopence. These discussions were sped with the help of pipes and porter. After the unpleasant shock of the Information the use of these adjuncts to philosophy was stopped, as an institution, in 1801, and left to the private taste of members ; but the change was not a success, " the small number attending on Saturday evenings arises in great measure from their not drinking in common," and the old custom was restored. Another Standing Rule provided that " every member shall in rotation give a lecture or perform some experiment on Saturday evenings." As a reward for these lectures, medals were given. There should be some of these in existence, as prior to 1 80 1 they were " given with too much facility " ; at that date it was decreed that a larger medal of 2 oz. of silver, and a smaller one of i oz., should be balloted for ; the scale for voting was elaborate, 5 excellent, 4 very good, 3 = good, 2 tolerable, i = scarcely tolerable, o=very indifferent. The medals were to be presented with due ceremony on Newton's birth-night. No doubt this habit of holding lectures trained and brought out a number of capable lecturers, for we find an annual course, open to the public for a fee, in existence at the beginning of this time. These lectures were on what would be called Natural Philosophy, and were illustrated by experiments. Its Lectures. The purchase of the necessary apparatus resulted in the collection of a considerable store by the Society. Their subjects and number varied a little from year to year. One of the most ambitious courses was held in 1821, when 5 different lecturers delivered between them 22 lectures in all 3 on Mechanics, 2 on Hydrostatics, 2 on Pneumatics, 2 on Optics, 3 on Astronomy, 6 on Chemistry, i on Magnetism, 2 on Electricity, and I on Gal- vanism. The charge for admission to a single lecture was is., and to the course 155. This course resulted in a net profit of 67, 175. 3d. to the Society. Similar substantial profits were made in several years, and the library benefited greatly in consequence. But a time came when the small body of which the Society always consisted, found itself unequal to the task. It is reported in 1825 that " great difficulty was found in procuring members to give the lectures," and they were reminded of the Standing Rule. But lectures given in obedience to a rule proved unattractive, and the Society experienced for the first time a loss, amounting to 7, 6s. 8d. Thereafter the lectures seem to have been dropped. Indeed, the future of the Society itself soon became a cause of disquiet. It was reported in 1829 that the income of the Society