s, that the personal character of the President
is less impressed on the Society; and, supposing any injudicious
alterations to be made, it is much less difficult to correct them.

SECTION 3. OF THE INFLUENCE OF THE COLLEGES OF PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS
IN THE ROYAL SOCIETY.

The honour of belonging to the Royal Society is much sought after
by medical men, as contributing to the success of their professional
efforts, and two consequences result from it. In the first place, the
pages of the Transactions of the Royal Society occasionally contain
medical papers of very moderate merit; and, in the second, the
preponderance of the medical interest introduces into the Society some
of the jealousies of that profession. On the other hand, medicine is
intimately connected with many sciences, and its professors are usually
too much occupied in their practice to exert themselves, except upon
great occasions.

SECTION 4. OF THE INFLUENCE OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTION ON THE ROYAL
SOCIETY.

The Royal Institution was founded for the cultivation of the more
popular and elementary branches of scientific knowledge, and has risen,
partly from the splendid discoveries of Davy, and partly from the
decline of the Royal Society, to a more prominent station than it would
otherwise have occupied in the science of England. Its general
effects in diffusing knowledge among the more educated classes of the
metropolis, have been, and continue to be, valuable. Its influence,
however, in the government of the Royal Society, is by no means attended
with similar advantages, and has justly been viewed with considerable
jealousy by many of the Fellows of that body. It may be stated,
without disparagement to the Royal Institution, that the scientific
qualifications necessary for its officers, however respectable, are not
quite of that high order which ought to be required for those of the
Royal Society, if the latter body were in a state of vigour.

The Royal Institution interest has always been sufficient to appoint one
of the Secretaries of the Royal Society; and at the present moment they
have appointed two. In a short time, unless some effectual check is put
to this, we shall find them nominating the President and the rest of the
officers. It is certainly not consistent with the dignity of the Royal
Society thus to allow its offices to be given away as the rewards of
services rendered to other institutions. The only effectual way to put a
s