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JOURNAL OF THE TRANSACTIONS

OF THE

VICTORIA INSTITUTE,

OR

PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN.

FIRST GENERAL MEETING of the MEMBERS and ASSOCIATES of the INSTITUTE, held on 24th May, 1866-Her Majesty's, Birthday and the Anniversary of the Society's Foundation, at 32, Sackville Street, London, W.

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THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE EARL OF SHAFTESBURY, K.G., PRESIDENT, IN THE CHAIR.

THE NOBLE CHAIRMAN stated, that this being the First Meeting of the Members and Associates who had united to form the Victoria Institute, there were no previous Minutes to be read. He had much pleasure in taking the Chair on the present occasion, and in seeing so large a meeting assembled for the purpose of formally inaugurating a Society, the importance of which, he thought, could scarcely be over-estimated, the founding of which was only proposed a year ago, and agreed upon at a meeting held in that room, on 16th June, 1865, consisting of scarcely more than twelve of the present members of the Society, which now numbered nearly two hundred. It would be unnecessary for him to make any observations with respect to the objects for which it was established, as they would be fully explained in the inaugural address, which would be read that evening by the Rev. Mr. Mitchell. (Hear, hear.) He rejoiced to learn, from the number of members who had already joined, that the Society promised to be attended with the greatest success, and without any further preface he would call upon the honorary secretary to read the report of the Provisional Committee and Council.

MR. REDDIE (Hon. Secretary), then read the following Report of the Provisional Council :

D

REPORT of the PROVISIONAL COMMITTEE and COUNCIL of the VICTORIA INSTITUTE, or Philosophical Society of Great Britain.

Founding of the Society.

1. Your Committee beg leave to advert very briefly to the origin of the Victoria Institute. On May 24th, 1865, a printed Circular, which has now been in every member's hands, was sent to the newspapers and distributed to various individuals, proposing to found a new Philosophical Society, for the purpose of defending Revealed Truth from unwarranted attacks made upon it in the name of Science. The response to this appeal was so hearty and immediate, that the author of the circular and the friends with whom he had previously consulted were induced, so early as the 10th of June, to issue a second circular, addressed to those who had signified their approval of the founding of the proposed Society, or their desire to co-operate in its formation, requesting them to attend a preliminary meeting on June 16th, to consult together as to the basis upon which the new Society should be founded. At this meeting the Earl of Shaftesbury presided; and certain resolutions having been agreed to respecting the objects of the new Society, they were referred to a sub-committee, consisting of the Rev. Dr. Robinson Thornton, the Rev. A. De La Mare, Captain Fishbourne, R.N., C.B., Captain Francis W. H. Petrie, and Mr. Reddie (with power to add to their number); who were desired to report thereon, and on other matters, to a subsequent meeting, which was held on Thursday, June 22nd. At this meeting the Objects of the Society, terms of membership, &c., as recommended by the Committee, were agreed upon, and the result was made known in a printed Circular (No. 4) dated July, 1865, inviting Vice-Patrons, Members, and Associates to join the Society for the purposes and upon the terms therein set forth.

2. The Committee above referred to added other members to their number from time to time, and was the nucleus of your present Committee, as now organized into the Provisional

Council, whose names are printed in the First List of Foundation Members and Associates, corrected to May 1st, which was sent to all the Members and Associates of the Society upon calling this present meeting.

Members and Associates.

3. Your Committee have to express their regret that various circumstances prevented them from completing the organization of the Society sooner, and obliged them to postpone till today the First General Meeting of its Members and Associates. At the same time they would desire to recognize the kind forbearance of the earliest enrolled members of the Society, in making every allowance for this delay, arising from difficulties which are probably always attendant upon new undertakings. There has been a gratifying evidence among the members of a calm confidence in a good cause that would only gather strength by time, and which, therefore, need make no undue haste. If, however, our meetings commence some few months later than was originally expected, your Committee have the satisfaction of being able to congratulate the Society, that its proceedings now commence with, they believe, an unprecedented number of Members and Associates.

4. On the 1st of this month 158 Members had joined, and 21 Associates, making 179 in all, including one Vice-Patron, five Life Members, and one Second-Class Life Associate. Since that date 10 new Members and 3 Associates have joined, making a total of 192 Members and Associates.

Finance.

5. Taking the Members and Associates as in the printed list corrected to the 1st of May, which has been generally circulated, the Income of the Society will stand thus, when all the subscriptions shall have been paid:

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152 Members, at Two Guineas each 319 4 0

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1 Ditto and Vice-Patron

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1 Life Associate, 2nd Class

,,9 1st Class Associates, at Two

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0

10 10

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Brought over

The Expenditure already incurred, chiefly for printing, postage, stationery, and the salary of the paid Secretary for six months, is as follows, viz. :—

Mr. Warrington, for printing, &c....... £12 11 8
Mr. Hardwicke, two thousand copies of

Scientia Scientiarum, &c.

Due for 1,000 ditto...

Messrs. Ortner & Houle, for engraving crest, stationery, &c., &c. Contingencies, chiefly postage, of the first Interim Secretary. Contingencies, chiefly postage, of the Honorary Secretary.

Contingencies of Dr. Evans, the

present Interim Secretary

Salary of Do. 6 months, to 30th June

next

Advertising

26 2 8

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Due for printing, &c., &c., probably... 10 0

Balance in favour of the Society

£528 3 0

135 13 9

£392 9 3

5. The donation of Henry W. Peck, Esq., as Vice-Patron, and the life subscriptions paid up to the 5th of April last, have been invested in Government Stock, in the name of the Trustees. And this course your Committee propose should be followed with all other donations or life subscriptions.

Objects, Constitution, and Bye-laws of the Society.

6. Your Committee have had prepared the draft of a code of Regulations relating to the Objects, Constitution, and Bye-laws of the Society. They do not, however, propose to submit these rules for adoption to the present meeting. They request that they may be allowed to give further consideration to this important matter, after their formal election and confirmation by this meeting as the regularly-constituted Council of the Society. The Objects of the Society having been settled, as well as the general terms upon which the Members and Associates already enrolled have joined the Institute, your Committee are of opinion that on the present

occasion it will be sufficient if they indicate the modifications and additions which they now recommend should be made as regards the contributions and privileges of Members and Associates who may be enrolled in future.

7. They beg leave to recommend :

I. That the Foundation List of Members and Associates be kept open till 31st December, 1866, and then closed.

ÎI. That all Members whose applications for admission are dated on or after 1st January, 1867, be required to pay an Entrance Donation of not less than One Guinea each (the precise amount to be hereafter determined), in addition to their annual subscription of Two Guineas, or their Life composition of Twenty Guineas.

III. That no Entrance Donation be required from Members applying to be enrolled before 31st December, 1866; and that no Entrance Donation be required from Associates, either of the First or Second Class, whether enrolled before or after that date.

IV. That Associates as well as Members shall be entitled to be present at all the General and Ordinary Meetings of the Society, also to state their opinions thereat, and to vote by show of hands; but that when recourse is had to voting by ballot, in order to determine any question, Members only shall be entitled to vote.

V. That Associates of the First Class shall be entitled to all the publications of the Society, the same as Members, including the publications contemplated under Object 6. But that Associates of the Second Class shall only be entitled to the publications referred to in Objects 4 and 5.

VI. That nevertheless the Committee shall have power, when the funds of the Society will admit of it, to issue the other publications of the Society to Associates of the Second Class being ministers of religion, either gratuitously or at as small a charge as the Council may deem proper.

VII. That the first annual contributions of Members and Associates already enrolled, or applying to be enrolled before 31st December next, shall be considered as extending to that date; and that the future annual contributions shall be considered as due in advance on January 1st in every year, or in the case of new Members and Associates upon their election.

VIII. That should Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen, H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, or other Personage of Royal blood hereafter become Patron, Vice-Patron, or a Member of the Society, none of the regulations relating to donations,

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