42 THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
1788. Seven persons attended the summons at the Marlborough Coffee
House, Great Marlborough Street, and the Linnean Society was inaugurated,
Smith, the youngest of the company, being chosen President. At the first
General Meeting (held at his own house, 12, Great Marlborough Street),
on the 8th April, he began a discourse on the "Rise and Progress cf Natural
History," which he finished on the 6th May.
The place of meeting proving unsuitable, the Society rented two
rooms in the President's house in Great Marlborough Street. In 1795,
the President gave up that house, and the Society migrated to 10, Panton
Square, Coventry Street.
In March 1802, a Royal Charter was granted by King George III; The
first General Meeting under the new conditions took place on 1st May;
and, before the Session closed, Bye-laws were adopted, in place of the
old "Rules and Orders."
The Session of 1805-6 opened in new quarters at 9, Gerrard Street,
Soho, but, on the death of Sir Joseph Banks in June 1820, Robert Brown
(1773-1858), suggested the removal of the Society to Banks's house, 32,
Soho Square, which suggestion was adopted.
During the first 40 years of the Society's existence, the founder, Sir
J. E. Smith (who had been knighted in 1814) had been regularly re-elected
President, although, having removed in 1796 to Norwich, he attended meet-
ings of the Society only during the two months he usually spent in London
each spring; the conduct of the Society devolving, therefore, upon the
Vice-Presidents. Smith died early in 1828. By his will, he directed that
his collections, with certain reservations, should be offered to the Society
for £5,000. After long consideration, the Society was about to decline
the offer, when the executor reduced his terms to 3,000 guineas, which offer
was accepted. The purchase was effected by selling the whole of the
Society's invested funds, by a subscription of £1,193, and by raising £1,150
on bonds at 5 per cent. The debt thus created acted prejudicially in many
ways, and was not finally extinguished until 1861.
The chief collections now possessed by the Society are those of Carl
von Linne, father and son, Sir J. E. Smith, and a British Herbarium founded
upon the collection of N. J. Winch, W. Withering, and others.
The Library of the Society has grown rapidly during its existence, and
now contains 40,000 volumes, in addition to the books which belonged to
Linne, many of which are enriched by his notes. The Society also possesses
many manuscripts of value, and a fine series of portraits. The number of
Fellows exceeds 700, with 50 Foreign Members and 25 Associates.
Dr. Daydon Jackson conducted the Party through the various rooms
giving copious accounts of the many objects of interest in the possession
of the Society. The oil portraits of Linne, Solander, Menzies, Robert
Brown, Darwin, Sir J. D. Hooker, Edward Forster, and numerous other
famous botanists who have been associated with the Society; the busts
of Linnaeus, Banks, John Ray, and other worthies; the personal relics
of Linne, etc., etc., were in turn inspected.
The Linnean collections, books, and herbarium were also exhibited, and
the methods adopted to safeguard these valuable possessions against fire
and the late danger from air-bombs were explained.
At the close of a most interesting tour. Mr. William Whitaker (in the