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METEOROLOGICAL REPORT.

Obfervations on the State of the Weather, from the 24th of February, to the 24th of March 1807, inclufive, Two Miles N.W. of St. Paul's.

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The quantity of rain fallen fince our last report is too trifling to be noticed. Our journal records but one day in which there has been any, but on five or fix there has been fnow, and in many places tell in confiderable quantities: near the metropolis it has not at any period been fufficient to incommode the inhabitants; nor during the whole winter has the cold been fufficient to render the fparrows and other fmall birds, in the villages round London, (the only game of cockneys), fufficiently keen to fall a prey to the fowling piece.

The average height of the thermometer for the whole month is 44 73, which is higher than it has been for feveral years for the fame period of time. Such of our readers as will take the trouble of turning back to the feveral volumes of the Monthly Magazine, will find that the average temperature for Maren, last year, was 42; for 1805, it was 43; for 1804, it was only 39.00; for 1803, it was 41 nearly; and for 1803, it was 434 nearly. Notwithstanding this increafe in the temperature, we have experienced much and fevere cold from the winds, which have cooled down the human body, though (as we have formerly observed) they have but little effect on the thermometer. The wind has blown chiefly from the caterly and wefterly quarters, and in both infances it has been feverely felt. The average height of the barometer is 29.99.

To CORRESPONDENTS.

PROSE communications, figned A, B. Impartial, M. N. A Friend to Truth, I. A. R. M. Scrutator, D. T. Simon Simple, Veritas, do not fuit the Monthly Magazine.

The friends of Pro effor Richardfon are referred to the Court of King's Bench, as a more competent tribunal to correct an unfeeling and unprincipled CoxcoмB than the pages of a Literary Journal.

Our excellent friend Dr. Patterson complains of being mifreprefented in an anonymous Review! As we cannot fpare room for his able reply, we shall ask him, who, that writer a bock, is not mifrepresented by the carelessness or malice of fome or all of the Reviews? Dr. Patterfon, and others in like circumftances, may derive confolation from the perufal of a plain narrative of facts relative to the manufactory of Reviews, lately published under the title of the New Dunciad, in which they will perceive how unworthy is all anonymous criticism of their confidence or ferious attention.

We must refer the communication of Mr. Salmon to the publicat on to which he refers. We acknowledge the receipt of another letter from Dr GLEIG, but we believe we shall be confidered by our readers as having brought to its proper clofe the controversy of that geotleman with Mr. LAING.

Several Querifts are informed, that we expect them to mention the authorities which have failed them, before we can obtrude their queftiors on the public, fome of which may pro bably be answered by confulting the laft new Cyclopedia, or perhaps any good elementary treatife.

In compliance with the wish of our correspondent who figns COMMON SENSE, we shall be glad to receive information relative to the monopoly of faims, and to the description of manufactories to which he alludes in the last paragraph of his letter.

Communications will be particularly acceptable from perfons relident on the Seat of War on the Continent.

Era in the prefent Number: at page 26%, col. 2, for Ifaac Wild, Efp. read Wild, Efj.; and at page 269, col. 1, for Canover read Çanova.

THE

MONTHLY MAGAZINE.

No. 156.]

MAY 1, 1807.

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"As long as thofe who write are ambitious of making Converts, and of giving to their Opinions a Maximum of *Influence and Celebrity, the most extensively circulated-Mifcellany will repay with the greatest Effect the Curiosity of thofe who read either for Amusement or Inftruation." JOHNSON,

ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS.

AN ACCOUNT of the LONDON INSTITU

TH

TION.

HE chief purposes of the London Inftitution are, the fpeedy and general diffusion of science, literature, and the arts, by means of lectures and experiments, and teaching the application of scientific difcoveries to the improvement of arts and manufactures in this country; the acquifition of a valuable and extentive library, confifting of books in all languages both ancient and modern, and giving an eafy accefs to the ufe of it; and the eftablishment of reading rooms, where the foreign and domeftic journals, newspapers, and other periodical works, and the best pamphlets and new publications, may be provided for the ufe of the proprietors and fubfcribers. In the execution of this plan, the priucipal gentlemen and merchants of the metropolis, to the number of one thoufand, fubfcribed the fum of feventy-five guineas each, towards forming the neceffary funds; and appointed a committee to prepare a fet of By-laws for the government of the Inftitution.

As thefe By-laws explain the nature of this establishurent in detail, it will be neceffary to give them in a claffified form, in order that they may be more cafily understood by thofe perfons who may have it in contemplation to eftablish funilar institutions in the large and populous cities, and manufacturing towns of the United Kingdom.

It may be neceflary to premife that the London Inftitution is a body, politic and corporate, being fo created by royal charter, granted to the managers and proprietors in January, 1807.

Of the direction and administration of the
Inftitution.

All the affairs of the Inftitution are directed and adminiftered by a committee of managers, confifting of the prefident, four vice-prefidents, twenty managers, and the fecretary, chofen by and from among the proprietors. One fourth of the prefidents and managers annually MONTHLY MAG., No, 156.

vacate their office, but are eligible to be re-elected to other offices of the inftitution. Of the Proprietors.

The number of proprietors is limited to one thoufand, and the whole property of the Inftitution is vefted folely in that body, who have complete authority to control and difpofe of the fame, and no fale or mortgage of any real property belonging to the Inftitution, or of any flock of money permanently invefted, can be made, but with the approbation and concurrence of a general meeting of proprietors convened for that exprefs purpofe.

Every candidate for election as a proprietor must be propofed by a manager at one of their meetings, and his name is then hung up in the managers' room, and at the next meeting he is balloted for. No perfon can be elected unless two-thirds, at leaft, of the managers are in favour of his admiffion.

There is a general meeting of proprietors annually, on the laft Thursday in April, for the purpose of electing the officers of the Inftitution, and receiving the report of the managers, containing a general ftatement of the matters with which it may be neceffary the proprietors fhould be acquainted, in order that they may form an opinion of the actual state of the Inftitution, in respect to its pecuniary concerns and the accomplishment of its objects.

The minutes of the tranfactions at every general meeting of the proprietors are entered in a book by the fecretary, and read over at the next meeting for approbation as to their correct entry, and after being approved are figned by the prefident, or in his abfence by the

chairman.

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are always given by ballot; and all bufinefs brought forward at any general meeting of proprietors, is decided by a majority prefent, unless a ballot be required on any fpecinc queftion, by fifteen or more of the proprietors prefent, which ballot must take place on one of the five enfuing days after fuch general meeting.

No new law, alteration, or sepeal of any exifting law, can originate in a general meeting of proprietors, unless after special notice to the fecretary in writing, by fifteen proprietors or upwards, at leaft fourteen days previoutly to fuch general meeting; nor can any new law, alteration, or repeal, he propofed by the managers to the proprictors, unless approved by two-thirds of the managers prefent at a meeting to be fummoned for that fpecial purpose.

If, at a meeting of proprietors, any queftion fhould arife during the courfe of an election, refpećting the forms thereof, fuch queftion fhall be decided by a majority of proprietors prefent.

Of Life and Annual Subfcribers. Every candidate for election, as a life or annual fubfcriber, must be propofed at a meeting of the managers, and his name entered in the lift of candidates, and at the next meeting of the managers the queftion of admiflion fhall be decided on. Subfcribers to particular courfes of lectures, or to the library, fhall be admitted thereto, upon the terms from time to time fixed by the managers.

Ladies are admiffible as fubfcribers to the lectures only, under fuch regulations as may be fixed by the managers. Rights and Privileges of the Proprietors and Subfcribers.

The proprietors, life and annual fubfcribers, and honorary members, have right of admiffion to the library, lectures, reading-rooms, and all other public parts of the house of the inftitution, at all hours from eight o'clock in the morning until eleven at night, Sundays, Chriftmas Day, Good Friday, and Faft and Thankfgiving days by proclamation, excepted; and on Saturdays the doors clofe at three o'clock.

The proprietors have each one tranfferable ticket, which admits the bearer to the library, the reading-rooms, and lectures.

Of the Mode of Proceeding at Elections. The president, one vice-prefident, five managers, three vifitors, the auditors, treafurer, and fecretary of the Inftitution, are elected annually by the proprietors at the general meeting in April.

On the day of the annual election, after the prefident or chairman that have taken the chair, and a balloting glafs being placed on the table, two scrutineers are to be appointed to examine and declare the refult of the ballot.

A complete lift of all proprietors who may have fignified their intention to the managers to become candidates for any office, and alfo balloting lifts, containing the names of thofe perfons recommended by the managers and vifitors, for fuch office, are to be prepared and ready for delivery to each proprietor, at least eight days before the annual election.

Every proprietor who votes at an election is to deliver his balloting lift, folded up, to the prefident or chairman, who, in his prefence, is immediately to put it into the balloting glafs, and the name of each proprietor, who fo delivers in his lift, thall be marked on a printed lift by the fecretary or clerk of the Inftitution.

When the ballot is clofed, the fcrutineers are to caft up the number of votes for each perfon, and report the fame in writing, figned by them, to the chair, when the prefident or chairman will declare thofe who have the majority of votes to be the perfons elected to the refpective offices.

If the number of votes, in favor of two or more candidates, fhould be equal, the prefident or chairman is to decide by lots prepared by the fcrutineers. Of the Duties and Authority of the Managers.

The managers are to engage fuitable perfons as profeffors an lecturers, and caufe courfes of lectures in experimental philofophy, and on chemiftry, and on different departments of literature and the arts, to be given annually or oftener at the Inftitution.

They are to take care that no fubjects be treated of, at the lectures, but such as are connected with the objects of the Inftitutiou.

They are authorifed, under certain reftrictions, to elect and admit proprie tors, life and annual fubfcribers, and alfo to elect honorary members of the Inftitution.

They are to elect and appoint, either annually or otherwife, the affiftant fecre taries, profeffors, lecturers, librarians, and other officers, and remove them when they fee caufe; and engage and difmifs the domeftic fervants of the house.

They have the direction of the house of the Inftitution, and make fuch regula

tions for the preservation of order and decorum therein as they may think proper. They are to caufe fair and accurate accounts and registers, in writing, to be kept of all receipts, payment, and tranfactions, by them, their officers, and agents refpectively, and annually make up the fame to the 31it of December in every year, and lay them, with the vouchers, before the auditors on or before the 25th of March following.

They have power to admit to the lectures, and to the library, and the other rooms of the Inftitution, foreigners of high rank, or of diftinguished scientific acquirements, during their temporary reúidence in the metropolis.

Their meetings are to be held in the houfe of the Inftitution on the first Wednefday in every month, and no meetings are competent to the tranfaction of bulinefs, unless three or more members be prefent.

The prefident, or two vice-presidents, or any three managers, may, by requifition in writing to the fecretary, call a fpecial meeting of managers.

The prefident prefides at all meetings of the managers, and in cafe of his abfence, one of the vice-prefidents, and if neither be prefent one of the managers.

When the votes at any meeting of the managers fhall be equal, the prefident or chairman fhall have the cafting vote.

The Vifitors.

A committee of vifitors, confifting of the prefident and twelve vifitors, fuch vifitors not being members of the committee of managers, thall be chofen from among the proprietors at the general meeting on the laft Thursday in April, three of whom fhall annually vacate their office, but do not become thereby ineligible to the fame, or to any other office of the Inftitution.

The visitors have authority to infpect, at all times, every department of the inftitution, and they make their reports, either to the managers, or to the court of proprietors, as they may prefer.

Any five of the vifitors may convene a special general meeting of proprietors, giving eight days notice thereof to the

managers.

The vifitors meet quarterly in the houfe of the inftitution, and no meeting is competent to the transaction of butinefs, unless three or more members thall be prefent.

Special meetings of the vifitors may be held, as often as any three of the visitors, or managers, shall exprefs in writing to

the prefident their request that such meeting fhall be called.

Whenever a fpecial meeting of the vifitors fhall be called, the object of fuch meeting thall be mentioned in the notice, which is to be fent to each member, at least eight days previously to the meeting.

The vifitors elect their own fecretary, and may make fuch regulations refpecting the mode of traufacting their business, as they hall think neceffary or ufeful, provided fuch regulations are not repugnant to the charter, nor to the By-laws of the Inftitution.

Of the Treasurer.

The treasurer is elected annually at the general meeting in April, by and from among the proprietors. His ap pointment is honorary.

All monies belonging to the Inftitution fhall remain in the hands of the bankers appointed by the managers; and all receipts and payments fhall be entered in the banker's book, under the direction of the treafurer, which book is to be laid on the managers' table at all their meetings.

The treafurer thall order payment of fuch drafts as fhall be made on him by the managers, as alfo of fuch bills and other disbursements, as they fhall fpecially direct to be paid by him.

He fhall enter into a bond with two approved furetics, in the fum of 50001. on condition that he duly account and pay all fuch money or other property and effects belonging to the Inftitution, as fhall come into his poffeffion as treasurer.

He hall make up his accounts to the 31st of December in every year, and lay them before the managers, in order to their being prepared for the inspection of the auditors.

Of the Secretary.

The fecretary is elected annually by and from among the proprietors. He is a member of the committee of managers, and his appointinent is honorary.

He attends the general meetings of the proprietors and the meetings of the managers; and thall enter in a book, for that purpose, the minutes of the proceedings of thofe meetings; give inftructions to the fecretary of foreign correfpondence, and directions to the affiftant fecretaries and clerks, in every thing relating to the bufinefs of his office, and fee that due notice is given by the clerk of the general meetings of the proprietors, and of the meetings of the managers.

Of the Auditors.

At the general meeting in April, five auditors thall be appointed by and from Rr2 among

among the proprietors, who fhall examine the accounts of the Inftitution, which fall be made up to the 51ft of December following, and fhall report thereon, with a general ftatement of the accounts figned by the major part of them, to the general meeting in the fucceeding April; and their report fhall be printed and ready for delivery at the houfe of the Inflitution, eight days previously to fuch meeting.

Of Honorary Members.

Perfons of diftinguished rank or qualifications, whether natives or foreigners, may be elected honorary members of the Inftitution.

Perfons propofed as honorary members, must be recommended by three at leaft of the managers, and be propofed and balloted for, with the interval of one month at leaft, between the propofal and ballot, and two negatives thall exclude.

Of Receipts and Expenditures. A fufficient fum fhall be invetied in the public funds, as a provition for the permanency and stability of the Inftitution.

All monies not permanently invetted, and not wanted for defraying the current expenfes of the Inftitution, fhall, from time to time, be invefted by the managers in floating public fecurities.

The annual income of the Inftitution fhall be applied by the managers in difcharging rents, taxes, falaries, wages, repairs, the purchafe of foreign and domeftic Journals, periodical and other new publications, for the ufe of the reading-room.

The furplus income shall be applied, at the difcretion of the managers, to the improvement and augmentation of the library, and apparatus for philofophical experiments.

Of Sub-Committees.

The managers have power to appoint as many committees as they fhall think proper for the purpofe of fcientific and experimental inveftigations, and to admit into fuch committees any perfons, whether proprietors, fubfcribers, or not, and to allow fuch committees to hold their Icetings in the house of the Inftitution.

The prefident, the managers, vifitors, and fecretary, have a right to attend all fuch committees whenever they think proper.

These committees are occafionally to report their progrefs to the managers. Of the Transfer and Devife of Proprietors' Shares.

Any proprietor defirous of transferring his right in the Inftitution, thall notify the fame in writing to the managers, ftating the name and refidence of the perfon to

whom he is defirous of transferring the fame, and fuch perfon (unless he be the legitimate fon of fuch proprietor, in which cafe he may be admitted without delay) fhall be balloted for at the next meeting of managers; and if fuch perfon fhould not be approved by two-thirds of the managers prefent, the proprietor fhall be entitled, at his option, to propofe another perfon for admillion, or to claim from the funds of the Inftitution fuch tum as may then be fixed in the By-laws as the qualification of a proprietor.

On the deceafe of a proprietor, his exccutors or adminiftrators may nominate fuch perfon as is appointed in the will of the faid deceafed proprietor, or in default of fuch appointment, or in cafe of the deceafe of the perfon fo appointed, fuch other perfon as they may think proper, to be balloted for by the managers (excepting the legitimate fon of fuch deceafed proprietor, who is entitled to admillion without ballot) and such nomination fhall be referred by the managers to the folicitor of the Inftitution to examine into its legal propriety, who, on making a written report to the managers, fhall receive one guinea as his fee, from the proprietor on his admiffion; and in cafe fuch perfon, reported by the folicitor as legally nominated, thall not be elected, the executors or adminiftrators of fuch deceafed proprietor fhall, at their option, either propole another person for admiffion, or claim from the fund of the Inflitution, fuch fum as may then be fixed in the By-laws as the qualification of a proprietor.

The Library.

The library is open from eight o'clock in the morning till eleven at night, with the exceptions as before itated.

The books belonging to the library are under the care and cuftody of the librarian.

No perfon fhall take down any of the books in the library, but a note containing the name of the perfon applying, and the title of the book, must be given to the librarian or the attendant, who will fupply him with the book required.

No perfon fhall take away any book belonging to the library.

A manufcript catalogue of the library is kept on the table.

Of the Houfe of the Inftitution. The temporary houfe of the inftitution, till the managers can procure a larger and more convenient one, is in the Old Jewry; but it is expected that the corporation of London will grant them either the

whole,

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