CHAPTER XV. House occupied by the Society in Crane Court-Fellows subscribe to defray the expense of Repairs-Ode by a Frenchman to the Society-Society appointed Visitors of Royal Observatory, by Royal Warrant-Flamsteed's Vexation-His Conduct on the occasion-Visitors examine the Observatory-Recommend Repairs and new Instruments-Ordnance decline to undertake the work-Queen wishes the Society to take care of the Observatory-Appointment of celebrated Committee on the disputed Invention of Fluxions-Historical Account of the Dispute Report of Committee-Society adopt the ReportLeibnitz dissatisfied-Appeals to the Society through Chamberlayne Society confirm the Report of their Committee in favour of Newton-Remarkable Error of Writers on this Subject-Probable Origin of the Error-Foreign Ambassadors attend the Meetings-Experiments exhibited before themQueen orders her Foreign Ministers to assist in promoting the Objects of the Society-Fossil Remains sent from AmericaPhilosophical Society established at Spalding-Curious List of the Fellows published-Bequests to the Royal Society-Foreign Secrtary appointed-Opinion of Attorney-General-Petition to George I. for Licence to purchase or hold lands in MortmainKing grants the prayer of the Society. 1710-25. THE HE march of improvement, which has changed so much of old London, has not yet penetrated into the quiet court, made classical by the abode of the Royal Society for so many years. The exterior of the house remains unaltered, though the interior has undergone some changes, with the view of adapting it to the wants of the Scottish Hospital, to which it is devoted. Happily, however, the room in which the Society met is in the same condition as when Newton occupied the presidential chair, and it is impossible to stand in that ancient apartment, a representation of which is annexed, without feeling the associations connected with those days stealing over their mind'. It is gratifying to find that several noblemen and gentlemen came forward with donations to assist in discharging the debt due to Mr. Collier. Amongst them was the Earl of Halifax, who gave 1007.; Newton, who contributed 1207.; and Mr. Richard Waller, 1007. towards building a repository, to contain the Society's Museum. This addition, together with the the necessary repairs, cost 8007. By Newton's order, the porter was clothed in a suitable gown2, and provided with a staff, surmounted by the Arms of the Society in silver; and on the meeting-nights a lamp was hung out over the entrance to the court from Fleet Street. The Fellows appear to have felt all the pleasures of independence, which they determined to enjoy; for we find, when the President stated that the Company of Mine Adventurers, who were established by Act of Parliament, wished to meet in the Society's house, paying a yearly rent for the convenience, it was unanimously resolved, that the Society "would continue as they were, and not let their house to the Mine Adventurers." The Society's removal seems to have inspired a 1 As I write (1847), the destruction of Crane Court has been resolved on, to make way for a new Record Office. 2 At the period of my election to the office I hold, the Porter had abandoned the gown; but on my representation of previous custom, the Council resolved that he should be furnished for the future with livery. French Poetaster, who wrote an ode in praise of the body when they moved to Crane Court. The only copy that I have seen of this poem is in the British Museum. It is entitled, Crane Court, ou le Nouveau Temple d'Apollon à Londres: Ode à Messieurs de la Société Royale. Some idea may be formed of it by the following extract: "Que vois-je? Quelle ardeur soudaine Qu'élèvent les Dieux sur ces bords; Melpomene, Euterpe, Thalie, Des lauriers en main tour a tour, Jalouses mais sages rivales; Ceignent de couronnes égales, Cent rivaux qui forment leur cour." Shortly after the removal, the Society acquired additional importance, by being appointed Visitors and Directors of the Royal Observatory at Greenwich. The Warrant to this effect was read before the Council on the 14th December, 1710, and runs as follows:"To our Trusty and Well-beloved the President of the Royal Society for the time being; well. "ANNE R. "TRUSTY and well-beloved, we greet you Whereas we have been given to understand that it would contribute very much to the improvement of Astronomy and Navigation, if we should appoint constant visitors of our Royal Observatory at Greenwich, with sufficient powers for the due execution of that trust; we have therefore thought fit, in consideration of the great learning, experience, and other necessary qualifications of our Royal Society, to constitute and appoint, as we do by these presents constitute and appoint, you, the President, and in your absence the Vice-President, of our Royal Society for the time being, together with such others as the Council of our said Royal Society shall think fit to join with you, to be constant Visitors of our said Royal Observatory at Greenwich: authorising and requiring you to demand of our Astronomer and Keeper of our said Observatory, for the time being, to deliver to you, within six months after every year shall be elapsed, a true and fair copy of the annual observations he shall have made. And our further will and pleasure is, that you do likewise, from time to time, order and direct our said Astronomer and Keeper of our said Royal Observatory, to make such Astronomical Observations as you in your judgment shall think proper. And that you do survey and inspect our Instruments in our said Observatory; and as often as you shall find any of them defective, that you do inform the principal officers of our Ordnance thereof; that so the said instrument may be either exchanged or repaired. And so we bid you farewell. Given at our Court of St. James's, the 12th day of December, 1710, in the ninth year of our reign. A "By her Majesty's command, copy of this Warrant was sent to the Ordnance Office, with the subjoined letter: VOL. I. D D "GENTLEMEN, Whitehall, 12 Dec. 1710. "I SEND you enclosed, by the Queen's command, a copy of Her Majesty's letter to the Royal Society, appointing the President, and in his absence the Vice-President, together with such others as the Council of the said Royal Society shall think fit to join with them, to be constant Visitors of the Royal Observatory at Greenwich: and I am at the same time to signify Her Majesty's pleasure to you, that you do receive and take notice of such representations as the said Visitors shall think fit to make to your Board, concerning Her Majesty's instruments at any time remaining in the said Observatory and that you order them to be repaired, erected, or changed, as there shall be occasion: and if any instruments be now there which do not belong to Her Majesty, you are to give necessary directions for purchasing the same. Her Majesty is likewise pleased to direct that you should have regard to any complaints the said visitors may make to you of the behaviour of Her Majesty's Astronomer and Keeper of the said Observatory, in the execution of his office. "I am, Gentlemen, &c., On the same day that the Warrant was received, it was ordered by the Council, that "the President, Mr. Roberts, Dr. Arbuthnot, Dr. Halley, Dr. Mead, Mr. Hill, Sir Christopher Wren, Mr. Wren, and Dr. Sloane, be appointed a Committee to go to Greenwich, any three of them (of which the President, or VicePresident to be one) to be a quorum, and to report their opinion of the condition of the Observatory, and the instruments therein, and to take an inventory of the instruments." |