tific distinction_, a kind of Legion of Honor.
It is clear that the {26} qualification was ability and willingness to do
good work for the promotion of natural knowledge, no matter in how many
persons, nor of what position in society. Charles II gave a smart rebuke
for exclusiveness, as elsewhere mentioned. In time arose, almost of course,
the idea of distinction attaching to the title; and when I first began to
know the Society, it was in this state. Gentlemen of good social position
were freely elected if they were really educated men; but the moment a
claimant was announced as resting on his science, there was a disposition
to inquire whether he was scientific enough. The maxim of the poet was
adopted; and the Fellows were practically divided into _Drink-deeps_ and
_Taste-nots_.

I was, in early life, much repelled by the tone taken by the Fellows of the
Society with respect to their very mixed body. A man high in science--some
thirty-seven years ago (about 1830)--gave me some encouragement, as he
thought. "We shall have you a Fellow of the Royal Society in time," said
he. Umph! thought I: for I had that day heard of some recent elections, the
united science of which would not have demonstrated I. 1, nor explained the
action of a pump. Truly an elevation to look up at! It came, further, to my
knowledge that the Royal Society--if I might judge by the claims made by
very influential Fellows--considered itself as entitled to the best of
everything: second-best being left for the newer bodies. A secretary, in
returning thanks for the Royal at an anniversary of the Astronomical, gave
rather a lecture to the company on the positive duty of all present to send
the very best to the old body, and the absolute right of the old body to
expect it. An old friend of mine, on a similar occasion, stated as a fact
that the thing was always done, as well as that it ought to be done.

Of late years this pretension has been made by a President of the Society.
In 1855, Lord Rosse presented a confidential memorandum to the Council on
the expediency of enlarging their number. He says, "In a Council so small
it {27} is impossible to secure a satisfactory representation of the
leading scientific Societies, and it is scarcely to be expected that, under
such circumstances, they will continue to publish inferior papers while
they send the best to our _Transactions_."

And, again, with all the Societies represented on the Council, "even if
ever