| Description | Present at the Council; Lord Brouncker, Mr Howard, Sir Robert Moray, Sir Paul Neile, Sir William Petty, Mr Aerskine, Mr Henshaw, Mr Palmer, Dr Wilkins, Dr Goddard, Dr Clark, Mr Hill, Mr Graunt, Mr Oldenburg,
Sir William Petty reported that Sir John Cutler, intending a particular kindness to Mr Hook, in founding the new lecture, and bestowing upon him as Reader, fifty pounds per annum, did desire, that he might not be more burdened that the other Readers of Gresham College are, but read only as many lectures in the vacations as they do in term time. And further, that Sir John Cutler had intimated, that the management of this lecture by the Society, during Mr Hook's life, should be a measure to him, to make it perpetual or no.
Debate followed on the subject and number of this lecture, and it was agreed that the subject should be the 'History of Nature and Art'. There was no agreement on the number of lectures, some proposing that Mr Hook should be ordered to read once upon all the ordinary weekly meeting days of the vacations, except for the three months of August, September and October, the greater part of half an hour, beginning about two of the clock. Others proposed that Mr Hook might read as many lectures as other professors do, and that the rest of the Wednesdays might be left to be endowed by some other benefactor, for another Philosophical Professor. |