Page:William Petty - Economic Writings (1899) vol 1.djvu/45

Rh one candidate, Sir John Portman, for election as a member, he served on several committees, and he was even a member of the Council of the Society from 30 Nov., 1664 to 11 April, 1666. He took, however, but small part in the scientific proceedings. Only once did he make a communication in any way similar to his "Observations," and in that communication, although he spoke of the rapid increase of carp by generation, what obviously interested him was not, as we might have expected, the increase of the fish in numbers, but rather their growth in size.

The disappearance of Graunt's name from the minutes of the Royal Society's meetings after 1666 must be accounted one of the results of his large losses by the Fire of London. Even with the substantial assistance of his devoted friend Petty, Graunt could not recover from the business reverses he then sustained. His conversion from protestantism to the Roman Catholic Church seems also to have worked to his disadvantage in worldly matters, and his affairs went from bad to worse until his death, 18 April, 1674. He was buried in St Dunstan's church, Fleet Street. "A great number of ingeniose persons attended him to his grave. Among others, with teares, was that great ingeniose virtuoso, Sir William Petty."

Of the esteem in which John Graunt was held by his contemporaries we have sufficient evidence. His old acquaintance Richard Smith, the famous book-collector, esteemed him "an understanding man of quick witt and a pretty schollar ." Pepys, who also knew him well, considered his "most excellent discourses" well worth hearing ." Aubrey, who had found him "a pleasant facetious companion and very hospitable," declares that "his death was lamented