17 
1820-30] ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY 
it was on the mathematical side that it was defective : on the 
observational side the period mentioned was precisely that of the 
immortal work of Sir John’s own father, and was not likely to be 
overlooked. We can the better understand why the early activities 
of our Society were chiefly concerned with the stimulation of 
progress where it was most needed. But we were fortunately not 
the only new Society, nor even the first. The facts may be briefly 
recalled by quoting from an article in the Quarterly Review for 
June 1826 :— 
From the institution of the Royal Society in 1663, to the year 
1788, when the Linnean was founded, no subdivision of scientific 
labour was attempted in our metropolis. The Royal Society 
continued, without assistance, to embrace within its aim the 
cultivation of every department of natural philosophy ; but a 
further subdivision of labour, as inseparable a consequence of the 
progress of the sciences as of the arts, was at length effected with 
the concurrence and co-operation of the Royal Society itself ; and 
the prosecution of the studies of zoology and botany in all their 
details was the chief object of the institution of the Linnean Society, 
which received a royal charter in 1802, and has now published 
fourteen volumes of Transactions, containing a variety of most 
valuable memoirs. 
The Royal Institution, the next in order of date, was founded 
in 1799, and the College of Surgeons in 1800. 
The Horticultural Society, established in 1804, although designed 
to promote luxury rather than science, must not be omitted here. 
. . . The London Institution, “ for the advancement of Literature 
and the diffusion of Useful Knowledge,” was founded in 1805 and 
chartered in 1807. . . . The Geological Society of London, estab 
lished in 1807 and chartered in 1825, has been eminently successful 
in giving the impulse to the study of geology in Great Britain. . . . 
The institution of the Astronomical Society of London in 1821 (sic) 
was actively promoted by many of the most distinguished fellows 
of the Royal Society. Besides the excellent volume of Trans 
actions already published, we have pleasure in being able to state 
other important benefits which have resulted from their efforts. 
A valuable set of tables for reducing the observed to the true places 
of the stars is preparing at the expense of the Society, including 
above 3000 stars, and comprehending all known to those of the 
fifth magnitude inclusive, and all the most useful of the sixth and 
seventh. 
In addition to this the reviewer mentions the machine called 
Babbage’s Calculating Machine, which had already secured 
Government encouragement, and continues :— 
After this brief enumeration of the chief scientific institutions 
of the metropolis, which the reader cannot peruse without being 
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