Description | #Present at the meeting; the President in the chair; Professor Armstrong; Right Honourable J A Bryce; Professor Forsyth; Sir Michael Foster, Secretary; Mr A B Kempe, Treasurer; Professor Rucker, Secretary; Professor Tylor
The following also attended: Lord Acton; Sir W Anson; Professor Bywater; Sir Richard Jebb; Dr J A H Murray; Professor James Sully; Professor J Ward
The invited attendees ' concurred in disapproving of any attempt to establish an independent body to represent the sciences in question by means of a federation of any existing societies, and appear so impressed with the difficulties of founding an independent body 'de novo' that they shrank form attempting it. They therefore all expressed themselves in favour of any effort for the corporate representation of those sciences being associated in some way or other with the Royal Society. They seemed unanimous in feeling the great desirability of the organisation and official representation of the Philisophico-Historical subjects, both on the ground of the general encouragement of their pursuit, and also, and more especially, as a means of developing the more scientific methods of treating those subjects.
The general opinion of these gentlemen upon the practical courses discussed in the Report seemed to be in favour of the plan numbered (iii) in the Report, but, recognising the practical difficulties in the way of carrying out any such scheme immediately, they were generally in favour of an effort being made on the lines laid down in plan numbered (iv) as a beginning, in the belief that should its adoption lead, as they believe it would, to greater activity in this country in the studies in question, there might ultimately develop out of it some more formal organisation, such as is contiemplated in theo other plans submitted. '
Attached at end; Memorandum for the "British Academy" Committee, dated 20 February 1900 signed A R Forsyth. [Pasted after Minutes] |