Page:History of the Royal Astronomical Society (1923).djvu/276

 244 HISTORY OF THE [1880-1920 The problem of how to find room for the ever-increasing addi- tions to the library has of late years repeatedly occupied the attention of the Council. In 1889 and in 1912 some non-astro- nomical books were sold, but this remedy can obviously only be applied to a very limited extent. It has, however, been ascertained that the floor of the upper library would be strong enough to support an additional back-to-back bookcase down the centre of the room if not more than 7 feet high. The question of shelf-space is therefore not of immediate urgency. A catalogue of the library, complete to 1884 June and extending to 408 pp. 8vo, was published in 1886. A supplement to 1898 June was brought out in 1900. Since then only the annual lists of accessions, separately paged, have been issued with the last number of every volume of the Monthly Notices, and for the convenience of those who do not wish to bind them with this journal, title-pages to these lists were supplied in 1905 and 1912. It is very incon- venient not to have a catalogue of this valuable collection complete to a recent date, but the great increase in the cost of printing will make it very difficult to supply this want. The manuscript department of the library, though only possess- ing a few old manuscripts, is nevertheless an important part of the Society's property. Some important additions to it have been presented within the last few years, the most valuable one being the great collection of William Herschel manuscripts, pre- sented by the late Sir W. J. Herschel. A detailed descriptive catalogue of this collection was given in the Monthly Notices, volume 78. In connection with the library, we may also mention that the Society possesses a fine collection of portraits. Round the walls of the meeting-room are arranged framed photographs of all the past Presidents, while there are also paintings of Newton, W. Herschel (a copy of Artaud's portrait of 1819), and Goodricke. The fine portrait of Baily still hangs in the Council-room. Finally, it may not be out of place to say a few words about the Council, the governing body of the Society. Consisting originally of seventeen members, of whom eight did not hold any special office,* these numbers were in 1825 raised to nineteen and ten. They remained unaltered till 1858, when advantage was taken of a clause in the Charter permitting the addition of two members to those who hold no office, The two principal classes of Fellows constituting the Society, professional astronomers and amateurs, are always both well represented, and in particular it is an unwritten rule that of the two Secretaries one is a professional and the other an amateur, or at least that one is specially con-
 * In 1920 there were only six of these.