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nt of irregularities； and a suspicion may reasonably be entertained of those who endeavour to suppress inquiry。
On the other hand； debates respecting the affairs of the Society should never be entered on at the ordinary meetings； as they interrupt its business； and only a partial attendance can be expected。 That the conduct of those who have latterly managed the Royal Society has not led to such discussions； is to be attributed more to the forbearance of those who disapprove of the line of conduct they have pursued； than to the discretion of the party in not giving them cause。
The public is the last tribunal； one to which nothing but strong necessity should induce an appeal。 There are； however； advantages in it which may； in some cases； render it better than a public discussion at the anniversary。 When the cause of complaint is a system rather than any one great grievance； it may be necessary to enter more into detail than a speech will permit； also the printed statement and arguments will probably come under the consideration of a larger number of the members。 Another and a considerable benefit is； that there is much less danger of any expression of temper interrupting or injuring the arguments employed。
There were other points suggested； but I shall subjoin the Report of the Committee：
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE APPOINTED TO CONSIDER THE BEST MEANS OF LIMITING THE MEMBERS ADMITTED INTO THE ROYAL SOCIETY； AS WELL AS TO MAKE SUCH SUGGESTIONS ON THAT SUBJECT AS MAY SEEM TO THEM CONDUCIVE TO THE WELFARE OF THE SOCIETY。
Your Committee having maturely considered the resolution of the Council under which they have been appointed； and having satisfied themselves that the progressive increase of the Society has been in a much higher ratio than the progressive increase of population； or the general growth of knowledge； or the extension of those sciences which it has been the great object of the Society to promote； they have agreed to the following Report：
Your Committee assume as indisputable propositions； that the utility of the Society is in direct proportion to its respectability。 That its respectability can only be secured by its comprising men of high philosophical eminence； and that the obvious means of associating persons of this eminence will be the public conviction； that to belong to the Society is an honour。 Your Committee； therefore； think themselves fully borne out in the conclusion； that it would be expedient to limit the Society to such a number as should be a fair representation of the talent of the country； the consequence of which will be； that every vacancy would become an object of competition among persons of acknowledged merit。
From the returns which have been laid on your table； of the Fellows who have contributed papers； and from the best estimate they can make of the persons without doors who are engaged in the active pursuit of science； your Committee feel justified in recommending that those limits should be fixed at four hundred； exclusive of foreign members； and of such royal personages as it may be thought proper to admit。
As many years must elapse before the present number of seven hundred and fourteen can be reduced to those limits by the course of nature； and as it would be prejudicial to the interests of the Society and of science； that no fresh accessions should take place during that long period； your Committee would further recommend； that till that event takes place； four new members should be annually admitted。
With respect to the manner of admission； your Committee are of opinion； that there are several inconveniences in the present mode of proceeding to a single ballot upon each certificate； according to its seniority。 If the above limitation should be adopted； it may be presumed； that for every vacancy there will be many candidates； from amongst them； it must be the general wish to select the most distinguished individuals； but to accomplish this； if the present system were to be continued； it would be necessary to reject all those candidates whose certificates were of earlier date than theirs； a process not only extremely irritating； but probably ineffectual from the want of unanimity。 Your Committee； therefore； most earnestly recommend； that one general election should take place every year towards the end of the session； and that this should be conducted on the same principles as the present annual election of the Council and officers； VIZ。 by having lists printed of all the candidates （whose certificates had been suspended for the usual time；） in which lists each Fellow would mark the requisite number of persons。
As the charter； however； requires the concurrence of two…thirds of the Fellows present； your Committee suggest； that after the choice has been determined by the plurality of votes by ballot in the above manner； the successful candidates should be again submitted to a general vote； in accordance with the enactments of the said charter。
In concluding this part of the subject； your Committee beg leave to remark； that by the method now proposed； the invidious act of blackballing would cease； and with it all feelings of resentment and mortification； as the result of such an open competition could only be construed by the public into a fair preference of the superior claims of the successful few； and not into a direct and disgraceful rejection of the others。
Your Committee are fully aware； that such a reduction in the usual admissions would materially affect the pecuniary resources of the Society； but they are at the same time convinced； that by a vigorous economy its present income might be rendered adequate to all its real wants； and the aggregate expenditure might be considerably diminished by many small but wholesome retrenchments。
It appears； from the accounts of last year； that although 1200L。 was received for compositions； in addition to the standing income； and usual contributions； &c。； and although no money was invested； yet there was a balance only of a few pounds at the end of the year。 It further appears； that 500L。 was paid for the paper； 370L。 for engravings； and nearly 340L。 for printing； and from those alarming facts； your Committee submit to your consideration； whether the expenditure might not be beneficially controlled by a standing Committee of Finance。
In obedience to the latter part of your resolution； your Committee now proceed to offer some further suggestions for your consideration。 They conceive that it would afford a beneficial stimulus to individual exertion； if the Fellows who have received the medals of the Society； and those who have repeatedly enriched its Transactions； were distinguished by being collected into a separate and honourable list。 It would also be found； perhaps； not less a future incentive than an act of retrospective justice； if the names of all those illustrious Fellows who have formerly obtained the medals； as well as of all those individuals who have been large benefactors to the Society； were recorded at the end of the list。 It would be a satisfactory addition likewise to the annual list； if all those Fellows who have died； or had been admitted within the preceding year； were regularly noticed。