| Description | He has struck off two names [from the Royal Society Club]. [Erasmus] Ommanney is doting; Scott explained to him on the 14th that he was entitled to be an Honorary Member and could pay only 10 shillings when he wished to dine. He forgot to pay for his dinner and Scott will take it up with him. The election of men over eighty is not in the rules, but is a tradition, rarely coming into operation. [Edward] Sabine enjoyed the privilege, dining after he was 88 years of age. There are currently two, Armstrong and Ommanney. The chair at dinner ought to have gone to [James] Dewar, but there is a question of Ommanney's earlier election of 1877, and whether this counts, since he was re-elected later. Several members have been readmitted after residence abroad, but were not re-elected. 'I will see, if I can, to get the cash out of the old man of the sea'. |