Page:History of the Royal Astronomical Society (1923).djvu/62

 46 HISTORY OF THE [1820-30 meeting induced the Council to recommend to the meeting a departure from the established rule," and he was unanimously elected on November 14, making his present on December 8, and dying on December 22 (M.N., 1, 102-4). Another valuable present of a 2-feet altitude circle divided on gold, which had belonged to the Rev. Lewis Evans, was made by Dr. Lee. Thus there was work for an instrument Committee, and they drew up regulations, approved by the Council, for the use of the instruments (M.N., 1, 121). In these printed regulations provision is made for marks of identification, but a special addition was made by Council on 1829 February 6, which may seem to us to-day a little drastic, viz. : That on both surfaces of an object-glass of a telescope there be written with a diamond the words " Astronomical Society of London." The addition is represented by the phrase in brackets in regu- lation 2, loc. cit. ; and Dr. Wollaston's telescope was at once sent to Mr. Dollond to be marked accordingly. In connection with the Library Committee we may note De Morgan's offer to the Council in 1829 June, to " form a Catalogue of the Society's Books," which was gratefully accepted. THE BOOK OF SIGNATURES In 1828, William Henry, Duke of Clarence, Lord High Admiral, was elected as the 30ist Fellow of the Society, and the occasion seems to have been taken to purchase the book in which the Fellows sign their names at the admission ceremony, for we have a note of Booth's charges for an " autograph book." The name of the Duke of Clarence was the first signed in this book, but it stands as William IV. The entries on the Royal page are : William R., Patron. Victoria, R.I. William. George, R.I. Augustus Frederick. These names are subscribed immediately under the following declaration, from which they might have been supposed specially exempted : We, the Undersigned, being elected Members of the Astronomical Society of London, do hereby promise that We will be governed by the Regulations of the said Society as they are now formed, or as they may be hereafter altered, amended, or enlarged. That we