46 
HISTORY OF THE 
[1820-30 
meeting induced the Council to recommend to the meeting a 
departure from the established rule,” and he was unanimously 
elected on November 14, making his present on December 8, and 
dying on December 22 ( M.N ., 1 , 102-4). 
Another valuable present of a 2-feet altitude circle divided on 
gold, which had belonged to the Rev. Lewis Evans, was made by 
Dr. Lee. Thus there was work for an instrument Committee, 
and they drew up regulations, approved by the Council, for the use 
of the instruments ( M.N., 1 , 121). In these printed regulations 
provision is made for marks of identification, but a special addition 
was made by Council on 1829 February 6, which may seem to us 
to-day a little drastic, viz. :— 
That on both surfaces of an object-glass of a telescope there be 
written with a diamond the words “ Astronomical Society of 
London.” 
The addition is represented by the phrase in brackets in regu 
lation 2, loc. cit. ; and Dr. Wollaston’s telescope was at once sent to 
Mr. Dollond to be marked accordingly. 
In connection with the Library Committee we may note De 
Morgan’s offer to the Council in 1829 June, to “ form a Catalogue 
of the Society’s Books,” which was gratefully accepted. 
In 1828, William Henry, Duke of Clarence, Lord High Admiral, 
was elected as the 301st Fellow of the Society, and the occasion 
seems to have been taken to purchase the book in which the 
Fellows sign their names at the admission ceremony, for we have 
a note of Booth’s charges for an “ autograph book.” 
The name of the Duke of Clarence was the first signed in 
this book, but it stands as William IV. The entries on the Royal 
page are :— 
These names are subscribed immediately under the following 
declaration, from which they might have been supposed specially 
exempted :— 
We, the Undersigned, being elected Members of the Astronomical 
Society of London, do hereby promise that We will be governed by 
the Regulations of the said Society as they are now formed, or as 
they may be hereafter altered, amended, or enlarged. That we 
The Book of Signatures 
William R., Patron. 
William. 
Augustus Frederick. 
Victoria, R.I. 
George, R.I.