A History of the Royal Society
With Memoirs of the Presidents

A history of the Royal Society originally published in 1848, including biographies of famous presidents including Pepys, Newton and Banks.

Charles Richard Weld (Author)

9781108028189, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 19 May 2011

628 pages, 6 b/w illus.
21.6 x 3.5 x 14 cm, 0.79 kg

The Royal Society has been dedicated to scientific inquiry since the seventeenth century and has seen a long line of illustrious scientists and thinkers among its fellowship. The society's Assistant Secretary and Librarian, Charles Richard Weld (1813–1869), spent four years writing this two-volume History of the Royal Society, published in 1848, which also includes illustrations by his wife, Anne. Weld's aim was to document the 'rise, progress, and constitution' of the society. He charts how the informal meetings of like-minded men engaged in scientific pursuits in the mid-1600s developed into a prestigious society that by 1830 counted as one of the world's most influential scientific institutions. Volume 2 describes the governance, funding and organisation of the society from the 1770s to 1830, as well as key scientific concerns. It also contains biographies of notable presidents including James Burrow, Humphry Davy and Joseph Banks.

1. Memoir of Lord Macclesfield
2. Memoir of Lord Morton
3. Memoir of Sir James Burrow
4. Revision of Statutes
5. Government announce their intention of providing apartments for the Society in Somerset House
6. Dissensions in the Society
7. The Society petition George III for funds to commence a geodaetical survey
8. Establishment of the Royal Institution
9. The Society resume the consideration of the North-west Passage
10. Memoir of Sir Humphry Davy
11. The Society receive a letter from the Treasury respecting Mr. Babbage's calculating machine
12. Harris's lightning-conductors
13. Memoir of Davies Gilbert
14. Retrospective review of the labours of the Society
Appendix
Index.

Subject Areas: British & Irish history [HBJD1]