Page:History of the Royal Astronomical Society (1923).djvu/35

 1820-30] ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY 21 statement made in M.N., 8, 73, that the dinner was at East Sheen) the dinner was probably simply that at Freemason's Tavern as mentioned in Sir John Herschel's Diary (see p. i). LETTER FROM A. DE MORGAN, ESQ., TO THE PRESIDENT, ON THE FOUNDATION OF THE SOCIETY " On looking over old papers, I find copies whence obtained, I forget of two letters connected with the foundation of the Society, in the handwriting of Mr. B. Smith, who was Dr. Lee's secretary. With them I found a letter from Dr. Lee (September 19, 1857) m answer to my inquiries. It appears that the originals had then been, for many years, in possession of Captain Smyth, who entertained, from 1830 to 1834, or thereabouts, the intention of writing on the foundation of the Society. The copies are ad- dressed to Mr. Sheepshanks in the handwriting of Captain Smyth, with the postmark ' Bedford, May 24, 1834.' My impression is that Mr. Sheepshanks handed them to Mr. Baily, among whose papers I should have been sure to have found them. In this I am somewhat confirmed by observing that Mr. Sheepshanks, in his obituary notice of Dr. Pearson (Annual Report, 1848), shows only a general recollection of the first letter, and none at all of the second. As Admiral Smyth and Dr. Lee are now gone, and probably no one but myself knows of the letters, I think it right to put their contents on record. " The first is from Dr. Patrick Kelly (the author of the Cambist) to Dr. Pearson, December 12, 1812. He says : ' It [a meeting of schoolmasters] may be also a very auspicious time for us to lay some foundation for your suggestion respecting an Astronomical Society. I have mentioned it to two or three scientific gentlemen, who all approved very much of the idea ; and one in particular, Mr. [Peter] Nicholson, thinks that under good management it might become of great importance to science.' In a postscript Dr. Kelly adds : ' If the Astronomical Society should ever become great, you must not forget that you are the Father of it. There are several eminent societies in town possessing inferior objects.' It thus appears that Dr. Pearson had formed the plan by 1812 and was endeavouring to promote the formation. " Mr. Sheepshanks mentions, as a rumour, that the meeting of January 12, 1820, at which the Society came into existence, was resolved upon at a dinner given by Dr. Pearson. The second letter fixes this rumour as a fact. It is from Mr. (Sir James) South to Dr. Pearson, December 13, 1819, giving permission to add the* writer's name to a list then in collection, and accepting an invitation to dinner ; the date of the symposium is not given.