causes of complaint; but, by selecting a few in different
departments, endeavour to convince them that some alteration is
essentially necessary for the promotion of that very object which
we both by such different roads pursue.

I have found it necessary, in the course of this volume, to speak
of the departed; for the misgovernment of the Royal Society has
not been wholly the result of even the present race. It is said,
and I think with justice, in the life of Young, inserted amongst
Dr. Johnson's, that the famous maxim, "DE MORTUIS NIL NISI
BONUM," "appears to savour more of female weakness than of manly
reason." The foibles and the follies of those who are gone, may,
without injury to society, repose in oblivion. But, whoever
would claim the admiration of mankind for their good actions,
must prove his impartiality by fearlessly condemning their evil
deeds. Adopt the maxim, and praise to the dead becomes
worthless, from its universality; and history, a greater fable
than it has been hitherto deemed.

Perhaps I ought to apologize for the large space I have devoted
to the Royal Society. Certainly its present state gives it no
claim to that attention; and I do it partly from respect for its
former services, and partly from the hope that, if such an
Institution can be of use to science in the present day, the
attention of its members may be excited to take steps for its
restoration. Perhaps I may be blamed for having published
extracts from the minutes of its proceedings without the
permission of its Council. To have asked permission of the
present Council would have been useless. I might, however, have
given the substance of what I have extracted without the words,