fit person to hold such a situation. It is no theoretical view, but it
is the EXPERIENCE of the past which justifies the assertion; and I
fear that unless he has the sole responsibility for some specific
appointments, and unless his judgment is sharpened by the fear of public
discussion, a President of the Royal Society, in the Board-room of the
British Museum, is quite as likely as another person to sacrifice his
public duty to the influence of power, or to private friendship. With
respect to the merits of that Institution, I have no inclination at
present to inquire: but when it is considered that there is at this
moment attached to it no one whose observations or whose writings have
placed him even in the second rank amongst the naturalists of Europe,
the President of the Royal Society has given some grounds for the remark
made by several members of the Society, that he is a little too much
surrounded by the officers of a body who may reasonably be supposed to
entertain towards him feelings either of gratitude or expectation.
[It will be remembered that the name of Mr. Robert Brown has been but
recently attached to the British Museum, and that it is to be attributed
to his possessing a life interest in the valuable collection of the late
Sir Joseph Banks.]

The late Board of Longitude was another source of patronage, which,
although now abolished, it may be useful to hint at.

There were three members to be appointed by the Royal Society: these
were honorary, and, as no salary was attached, it might have been
expected that this limited number of appointments would have been given
in all cases to persons qualified for them. But no: it was convenient
to pay compliments; and Lord Colchester, whose talents and knowledge
insured him respect as Speaker of the House of Commons, or as a
British nobleman, was placed for years in the situation as one of the
Commissioners of the Board of Longitude, for which every competent judge
knew him to be wholly unfit. What was the return which he made for this
indulgence? Little informed respecting the feelings of the Society, and
probably misinformed by the party whose influence had placed him there,
he saved them in the day of their peril.

When the state of the Society had reached such a point that many of
the more scientific members felt that some amendment was absolutely
necessary to its respectability, a committee was formed to suggest to
the Council such improvements as they mig