th pole of the Earth's axis deserts, they say, the north star or
pole of the Heavens, at the rate of 1 deg. in 713/4 years.... The fact is,
nothing can be more certain than that the Stars have not changed their
latitudes or declinations _one degree_ in the last 713/4 years."

This is a strong specimen of a class of men by whom all accessible persons
who have made any name in science are hunted. It is a pity that they cannot
be admitted into scientific societies, and allowed fairly to state their
cases, and stand quiet cross-examination, being kept in their answers very
close to the questions, and the answers written down. I am perfectly
satisfied that if one meeting in the year were devoted to the hearing of
those who chose to come forward on such conditions, much good would be
done. But I strongly suspect few would come forward {308} at first, and
none in a little while: and I have had some experience of the method I
recommend, privately tried. Capt. Woodley was proposed, a little after
1834, as a Fellow of the Astronomical Society; and, not caring whether he
moved the sun or the earth, or both--I could not have stood _neither_--I
signed the proposal. I always had a sneaking kindness for paradoxers, such
a one, perhaps, as Petit Andre had for his _lambs_, as he called them.
There was so little feeling against his opinions, that he only failed by a
fraction of a ball. Had I myself voted, he would have been elected; but
being engaged in conversation, and not having heard the slightest objection
to him, I did not think it worth while to cross the room for the purpose. I
regretted this at the time, but had I known how ignorant he was I should
not have supported him. Probably those who voted against him knew more of
his book than I did.

I remember no other instance of exclusion from a scientific society on the
ground of opinion, even if this be one; of which it may be that ignorance
had more to do with it than paradoxy. Mr. Frend,[664] a strong
anti-Newtonian, was a Fellow of the Astronomical Society, and for some
years in the Council. Lieut. Kerigan[665] was elected to the Royal Society
at a time when his proposers must have known that his immediate object was
to put F.R.S. on the title-page of a work against the tides. To give all I
know, I may add that the editor of some very ignorant bombast about the
"forehead of the solar sky," who did not know the difference between
_Bailly_[666] and _Baily_,[667] received hints whic