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Dr。 Wollaston； Mr。 Herschel； Dr。 Young； Mr。 Babbage； Mr。 Davies Gilbert； Captain Beaufort； Mr。 South； Captain Kater。
The importance of the various improvements suggested was different in the eyes of different members。 The idea of rendering the Society so select as to make it an object of ambition to men of science to be elected into it； was by no means new； as the following extract from the Minutes of the Council will prove：
〃MINUTES OF COUNCIL。 August 27； 1674 Present；
Sir W。 Petty； Vice…President； Sir John Lowther； Sir John Cutler； Sir Christopher Wren； Mr。 Oldenburgh； Sir Paul Neile。
〃It was considered by this Council； that to make the Society prosper； good experiments must be in the first place provided to make the weekly meetings considerable； and that the expenses for making these experiments must be secured by legal subscriptions for paying the contributors； which done； the Council might then with confidence proceed to the EJECTION OF USELESS FELLOWS。〃
The reformers of modern times were less energetic in the measures they recommended。 Dr。 Wollaston and some others thought the limitation of the numbers of the Society to be the most essential point； and 400 was suggested as a proper number to be recommended； in case a limitation should be ultimately resolved upon。 I confess； such a limit did not appear to me to bring great advantages； especially when I reflected how long a time must have elapsed before the 714 members of the Society could be reduced by death to that number。 And I also thought that as long as those who alone sustained the reputation of the Society by their writings and discoveries should be admitted into it on precisely the same terms； and on the payment of the same sum of money as other gentlemen who contributed only with their purse； it could never be an object of ambition to any man of science to be enrolled on its list。
With this view； and also to assist those who wished for a limitation； I suggested a plan extremely simple in its nature； and which would become effective immediately。 I proposed that； in the printed list of the Royal Society； a star should be placed against the name of each Fellow who had contributed two or more papers which had been printed in the Transactions； or that such a list should be printed separately at the end。
At that period there were 109 living members who had contributed papers to the Transactions； and they were thus arranged：
37 Contributors of 。 。 1 paper 21 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 2 papers 19 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 3 ditto 5 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 4 ditto 3 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 5 ditto 3 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 6 ditto ＇2 。 。 。 。 from 7 to 12 ditto 14 。 。 。 of more than 12 papers。
100 Contributing Fellows of the Royal Society。 589 Papers contributed by them。
Now the immediate effect of printing such a list would be the division of the Society into two classes。 Supposing two or more papers necessary for placing a Fellow in the first class； that class would only consist of seventy…two members； which is nearly the same as the number of those of the Institute of France。 If only those who had contributed three or more were admitted； then this class would be reduced to fifty…one。 In either of these cases it would obviously become a matter of ambition to belong to the first class； and a more minute investigation into the value of each paper would naturally take place before it was admitted into the Transactions。 Or it might be established that such papers only should be allowed to count； as the Committee； who reported them as fit to be printed； should also certify。 The great objection made to such an arrangement was； that it would be displeasing to the rest of the Society； and that they had a vested right （having entered the Society when no distinction was made in the lists） to have them always continued without one。
Without replying to this shadow of an argument of vested rights； I will only remark that he who maintains this view pays a very ill compliment to the remaining 600 members of the Royal Society； since he does； in truth； maintain that those gentlemen who； from their position； accidentally derive reputation which does not belong to them； are unwilling； when the circumstance is pointed out； to allow the world to assign it to those who have fairly won it； or else that they are incapable of producing any thing worthy of being printed in the Transactions of the Royal Society。 Lightly as the conduct of the Society； as a body； has compelled me to think of it； I do not think so ill of the personal character of its members as to believe that if the question were fairly stated to them； many would object to it。
Amongst the alterations which I considered most necessary to the renovation of the Society； was the recommendation； by the expiring Council； of those whom they thought most eligible for that of the ensuing year。
The system which had got into practice was radically bad： it is impossible to have an INDEPENDENT Council if it is named by ONE PERSON。 Our statutes were framed with especial regard to securing the fitness of the members elected to serve in the Council； and the President is directed； by those statutes； at the two ordinary meetings previous to the anniversary； to give notice of the elections； and 〃to declare how much it importeth the good of the Society that such persons may be chosen into the Council as are most likely to attend the meetings and business of the Council； and out of whom may be made the best choice of a President and other officers。〃 This is regularly done； and； in mockery of the wisdom of our ancestors； the President has perhaps in his pocket
the list of the future Council he has already fixed upon。
In some other Societies； great advantage is found to arise from the discussion of the proper persons to be recommended to the Society for the Council of the next year。 A list is prepared； by the Secretary； of the old Council； and against each name is placed the number of times he has attended the meetings of the Council。 Those whose attendance has been least frequent are presumed to be otherwise engaged； unless absence from London； or engagement in some pursuit connected with the Society； are known to have interfered。 Those members who have been on the Council the number of years which is usually allowed； added to those who go out by their own wish； and by non…attendance； are； generally； more in number than can be spared； and the question is never； who shall retire？but； who； out of the rest of the Society； is most likely to work； if placed on the Council？
If any difference of opinion should exist in a society； it is always of great importance to its prosperity to have both opinions represented in the Council。 In this age of discussion it is impossible to stifle opinions； and if they are not represented in the Council； there is some chance of their being brought before the general body； or； at last； even before the public。 It is certainly an advantage that questions should be put； and even that debates should take place on the days appropriated to the anniversaries of societies。 This is the best check to the commencement of irregularities； and a suspicion may