| Description | Present at the meeting: Sir Robert Southwwell; Mr Pittfield; Mr Bridgman; Sir John Hoskyns; Mr Bemde; Mr Hill; Mr Aglionby; Dr Harwood; Mr Waller; Mr Flamsteed; Dr Sloane; Dr Slare; Mr Southwell; Sir Cyrill Wyche
' Dr Sloane desired the Directions of the Councell what Answer he Should Make to Mr Bidloos book Dedicated to the Society agt. Mr Cowper It was Ordered that an answer Should be drawn up and that therein the Society Should decline determining the Controversy, that their Licence is no more then Liberty that it whould be printed and that for the Matter. Books when Licensed are not read over that therefore Mr Cowper the Author must Answer any Inqury done in it, that the Society are not erectd for determining controversies but promoting naturall and experimentall knowledge which they will do in him or any body else in the mean time Mr Waller is desired by the Councell to Peruse the Book and seee what is materiall in it.
As to the controversy between Tentzelius and the Colledge of Gotha, and Vieussens and Chirac they Severaly Should be Answered after the Same manner, Saying further that they would communicate the experiments and Observations which were allways very welcome.
On Consideration of the many forreigners of the Society it was ordered no diploma Should be Sent to any forreigner chosen of the Society.
Dr Garth and Mr Sperling were propounded members of the Society and were approved off.
Upon Reading two Letters from Dr Woodward and Mr Harris, where in they disown their being Authors of a Late Pamphlet called the Transactioneer it was the Opinion of the Councell that they were not the Authers. The Councell declared that they were Satisfied with the Management of Dr Sloane as Secretary and Particularly in the business of the transactons for which they thanked him : also that on further consideration of the book lately printed Called the transactioneer they were of Opinion that whoever was the Author of it was Scurillous and injurious to the Society and Should be Proceeded against (if any member of the Society were any ways concerned in the writeing of it) to be ejected out of the Society, according to the Statutes.
It was propounded and balloted whether now the African Stocks belonging to the Society Should be Sold being they lately risen high in their prices it was carried in the affirmative and that Mr Torriano Should Sell them and Mr Pittfield and Mr Hill are ordered to transferre them.
The Same was ordered for the East India Stoks.
The Councell being informed that there is now on foot an Abridgment of the transactions it was declared that the Same was not done by their directions or encouragment. ' |