按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
excluded from their Transactions one of those productions which they had paid for as a lecture。
It might also have been more delicate not to have placed on the Council so repeatedly a gentleman； for whose engravings they were annually expending； during the last twenty years； about an hundred pounds。 On the other hand； when the Council lent Sir E。 Home the whole of those valuable plates to take off impressions for his large work on Comparative Anatomy； of which they constitute almost the whole； it might have been as well not to have obliterated from each plate all indication of the source to which he was indebted for them。
THE PRESIDENT'S DISCOURSES。I shall mention this circumstance； because it fell under my own observation。
Observing in the annual accounts a charge of 381L 5s。 for the President's Speeches； I thought it right to inquire into the nature of this item。 Happening to be on the Council the next year； I took an opportunity； at an early meeting of that Council； to ask publicly for an explanation of the following resolution； which stands in the Council…books for Dec。 21； 1828。
〃Resolved； That 500 copies of the President's Discourses； about to be printed by Mr。 Murray； be purchased by the Society； at the usual trade price。〃
The answer given to that question was； 〃THAT THE COUNCIL HAD AGREED TO PURCHASE THESE VOLUMES AT THAT PRICE； IN ORDER TO INDUCE MR。 MURRAY TO PRINT THE PRESIDENT'S SPEECHES。〃
I remarked at the time that such an answer was quite unsatisfactory； as the following statement will prove。
The volume consists of 160 pages； or twenty sheets； and the following prices are very liberal：
L s。 d。 To composing and printing twenty sheets； at 3L。 per sheet。。。。。。。。。。。 。。。。 60 0 0 Twenty reams of paper； at 3L。 per ream 。。。。。 60 0 0 Corrections； alterations； &c。 。。。。。。。。。 30 0 0
Total cost of 500 copies 。。。。。。 150 0 0
Now upon the subject of the expense of printing； the Council could not plead ignorance。 The Society are engaged in printing； and in paying printers' bills； too frequently to admit of such an excuse； and several of the individual members must have known； from their own private experience； that the cost of printing such a volume was widely different from that they were about to pay； as an inducement to a bookseller to print it on his own account。 Here； then； was a sum of above two hundred pounds beyond what was necessary for the object； taken from the funds of the Royal Society； and for what purpose？ Did the President and his officers ever condescend to explain this transaction to the Council； or were they expected； as a matter of course； to sanction any thing proposed to them？ Could they have been so weak； or so obedient； as to order the payment of above three hundred and eighty pounds； to induce a bookseller to do what they might have done themselves for less than half the sum？ Or did they wish to make Mr。 Murray a present of two hundred pounds？ If so； he must have had powerful friends in the Council； and it is fit the Society should know who they were； for they were not friends； either to its interests or to its honour。
The copies； so purchased； were ordered by the Council to be sold to members of the Society at 15s。 each： （the trade price is 15s。 3d。） and out of the five hundred copies twenty…seven only have been sold： the remainder encumber our shelves。 Thus； after four years； the Society are still losers of three hundred and sixty Pounds on this transaction。
ON THE CONVERSION OF THE GREENWICH OBSERVATIONS INTO PASTEBOARD。 Although the printing of these observations is not paid for out of the funds of the Royal Society； yet as the Council of that body are the visitors of the Royal Observatory； it may not be misplaced to introduce the subject here。
Some years since； a member of the Royal Society accidentally learned； that there was； at an old store…shop in Thames Street； a large quantity of the volumes of the Greenwich Observations on sale as waste paper。 On making inquiry； he ascertained that there were two tons and a half to be disposed of； and that an equal quantity had already been sold； for the purpose of converting it into pasteboard。 The vendor said he could get fourpence a pound for the whole； and that it made capital Bristol board。 The fact was mentioned by a member of the Council of the Royal Society； and they thought it necessary to inquire into the circumstances。
Now； the Observations made at the Royal Observatory are printed with every regard to typographical luxury； with large margins； on thick paper； hotpressed； and with no sort of regard to economy。 This magnificence is advocated by some who maintain； that the volumes ought to be worthy of a great nation； whilst others； seeing how little that nation spends on science； regret that the sums allotted to it should not be applied with the strictest economy。 If the Astronomer Royal really has a right to these volumes； printed by the government at a large expense； it is； perhaps； the most extravagant mode which was ever yet invented of paying a public servant。 When that right was given to him；let us suppose somebody had suggested the impolicy of it； lest he should sell the costly volumes for waste paper；who would have listened for one moment to such a supposition？ He would have been told that it was impossible to suppose a person in that high and responsible situation； could be so indifferent to his own reputation。
A short time since； I applied to the President and Council of the Royal Society； for copies of the Greenwich Observations； which were necessary for an inquiry on which I was at that time engaged。 Being naturally anxious to economize the small funds I can devote to science； the request appeared to me a reasonable one。 It was； however； refused； and I was at the same time informed that the Observations could be purchased at the bookseller's。 ＇This was a mistake； Mr。 Murray has not copies of the Greenwich Observations prior to 1823。＇ When I consider that practical astronomy has not occupied a very prominent place in my pursuits； I feel disposed； on that ground； to acquiesce in the propriety of the refusal。 This excuse can； however； be of no avail for similar refusals to other gentlemen； who applied nearly at the same time with myself； and whose time had been successfully devoted to the cultivation of that science。 ＇M。 Bessel； at the wish of the Royal Academy of Berlin； projected a plan for making a very extensive map of the heavens。 Too vast for any individual to attempt； it was proposed that a portion should be executed by the astronomers of various countries； and invitations to this effect were widely circulated。 One only of the divisions of this map was applied for by any English astronomer； and； after completing the portion of the map assigned to him； he undertook another； which had remained unprovided for。 This gentleman； the Rev。 Mr。 Hussey； was one of the rejected applicants for the Greenwich Observations。＇
There was； however； another ground on which I had weakly anticipated a different result；but those who occupy official situations； rendered remarkable by the illustr