Abstract
THE Royal Society of London is an exclusive and retired body, known of few, understanded of still fewer. To most of those who are not men of science, the words “The Royal” mean the Royal Agricultural Society; many know the Royal Institution and perhaps still more the British Association but the ancient learned body the home of which is now at Burlington House is something beyond the knowledge of most people. Nor is this to be wondered at; the Royal Society makes few efforts to make itself known, and, indeed, seems to some to do much to keep itself unknown. It gives, it is true, two public soirees, and it has its anniversary dinner; but it has managed to make the former chiefly reunions of its own fellows, and the latter, held in the darkening days of early winter “when nobody is in town,” contrasts, by the paucity, nay, almost the absence, of public and distinguished guests, and the prominence of the fellows and their private friends, with the annual dinner of its neighbour the Royal Academy.
Article PDF
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Royal Society Addresses 1 . Nature 74, 466–468 (1906). https://doi.org/10.1038/074466a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/074466a0