124 
HISTORY OF THE 
[1850-60 
“ usefully co-operate with the Society and assist it in carrying out 
schemes requiring organisation and division of labour.” This 
consideration somewhat modified the type of man recommended. 
Thus while the Committee were of opinion that the list should 
contain “ Directors of foreign observatories of deserved reputation 
and of such foreign Professors of Astronomy as have conspicuously 
added to the science by theoretical investigations,” they were 
very chary in admitting any claims on the part of those who did 
not hold official positions. Such were considered as having little 
or no value for these co-ordinated researches. The amateur 
astronomer the Committee would have entirely excluded, and they 
specifically recommended “ that, though subordinate foreign 
astronomers may occasionally in cases of extraordinary merit be 
usefully put on the list of members, yet that want of an independent 
position must be considered per se as a disqualification only to be 
set aside by some remarkable discovery or some elaborate astro 
nomical work of acknowledged merit.” Note particularly the 
word “ usefully ” as indicating the bias of the Committee. 
The hope that Associates could be made use of never appears to 
have been practically acted upon, and has long since been aban 
doned. In fact, it is now recognised that the Society is not a 
suitable body for carrying out schemes requiring organisation and 
division of labour. 
The Council of those times was troubled with one task lying 
somewhat outside their normal functions, the exercise of a piece of 
ecclesiastical patronage arising out of the gift to the Society by 
John Lee of the advowsons of the livings of Hartwell and Stone. 
Thus we find in 1855 the Council had to present a new incumbent 
to the living of Hartwell-cum-Hampden-Parva, and again in 1859 
had to fill a similar vacancy at Stone. In the first case there were 
six applicants, and the selection was made easier by the fact that 
the duty had for some years been performed by a clergyman 
residing in the place. The gentleman, the Rev. C. Lowndes, was 
himself an amateur astronomer and had, aided by the generosity of 
Mr. Lee, built himself a small observatory in the Rectory grounds. 
The Council were therefore in the fortunate position of being able 
to satisfy both doctrinal and scientific needs, to appoint a Rector 
who was already well known and respected in the locality, and to 
help towards the continuation of work in the observatory. On 
other occasions there was no such clean-cut issue before them, and 
in filling up the living of Stone they were apparently guided only 
by testimonials. Ultimately, these two advowsons were repur 
chased from the Society by Mr. Lee’s heir in 1879, and the Council 
was relieved of a distasteful duty for which it had no qualifications. 
Towards the end of 1856 another matter of procedure was re