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We have published the foregoing letter in the exact words of our correspondent. We shall pursue the same course with regard to the enclosed prospectus.

Select Academical Society. Instituted September 14, 1819.

"Labor omnia vincit."-Virgil.

In our intercourse with the world, a cultivated understanding, the knowledge of science, the art of accurate reasoning, and the ability of speaking and reading in public, with ease and propriety, are highly necessary, and strongly present themselves as objects, the pursuit of which is of the utmost importance.

The members of this Society, being desirous of bestowing the greatest attention upon objects of such inestimable value, have unanimously agreed to maintain the present Society upon a basis calculated to promote the advancement of its Members in Literary and Philosophical Knowledge, by affording that experience, and imparting that stimulous to exertion, so essential towards mental excellence.

The most obvious means for the attainment of these objects, is the introduction of those justly popular modes of improving the intellectual faculties, Lecture and Discussion; whereby a reciprocal communication of mental attainments, and a collision of talent, will be produced, than which nothing has a more direct tendency to enlarge the mind, increase its powers, and form it for the conception of just opinions, and of noble and elevated sentiments.

The Members of this Society lay no peculiar claim to merit, and seek rather to increase than to display their abilities; the youthful, as well as the more mature inquirer may therefore, without embarrassment, avail himself of this means of improvement, and of seeking those enjoyments which are the most pure and durable.

RULES.

1. That the society shall consist of persons of approved moral character, and that every person, on admission, sign the rules.

II. That two shillings per month be the contribution of each Member, and that the funds of the society be appropriated to the purchase of Books and Philosophical Apparatus.

III. That the Members shall assemble at eight o'clock every Friday evening; the chair to be taken at half past eight precisely, and vacated at

ten.

IV. That the business of each Meeting be conducted by a Moderator, appointed monthly from the Members, in rotation.

V. That Lectures and Discussions alternately form the business of each Friday evening, to be brought forward by the Members in rotation, to the exclusion of Politics and Polemical Divinity.

VI. That the subject of each Lecture and Discussion be proposed at a preceding meeting, and approved by a majority of Members present.

VII. That the Lectures be subject to criticism by the Members present, and that the Discussions be regulated consistent with the forms established in the best forensic institutions.

VIII. That any Member disappointing the Society of a lecture, or omitting to open a Question, when announced, be fined one shilling and sixpence, unless the same be conducted by some other Member of the Society as his substitute.

IX. That if any Member neglect to attend two successive meetings of the Society, he shall be fined one shilling, unless sufficient cause be signified by letter to the Moderator.

X. That each Member pay his subscription on every fourth Friday in the month. If any omit so doing for two successive fourth Fridays, the Secretary shall give the defaulting Member notice in writing, that such arrears are due; and in case of non-payment by the next fourth Friday, he shall be excluded.

XI. That each Member in rotation be at liberty to propose the purchase of Books or Philosophical Apparatus, subject to the control of the majority of the Members present.

XII. That no Member be entitled to more than one book at a time; and if any Member keep a book beyond the time fixed by the majority of Members, he shall be fined one shilling.

XIII. That if a Member lose or damage any book belonging to the Society, he shall replace the same.

XIV. That no member whose subscription is in arrear shall be entitled to any book belonging to the Society.

XV. That the Secretary, Treasurer, and Librarian, be chosen annually. XVI. That two general Meetings of the Members shall be held in every year, one on the first Monday in January, and the other on the first Monday in July, when the proceedings of the Society, and an account of the receipts and disbursements, shall be laid before them.

XVII. That if any controversy shall arise, which no rule can decide, it shall be determined by a majority of votes; when the Members shall be specially summoned, and those absent, without appointing a proxy, shall be fined one shilling.

XVIII. That no Member be allowed to vote as proxy, unless authorized by letter, which shall be delivered to the Moderator.

XIX. That in case of an equality of votes at any meeting, the Moderator shall be entitled to a second vote.

XX. That any Member withdrawing from the Society, shall signify his intention so to do, by notice to the Moderator; and any person withdrawn or excluded shall forfeit all claim to the property of the Society.

XXI. That none of the Rules of this Society shall be altered, or any new ones established, without the concurrence of the majority of its members.

Now, our readers may be assured, that we have not pre

sented them either with the letter of our correspondent, or the plan and rules of "The Select Academical Society," because we entirely approve the opinions of the one, or entirely acquiesce in the utility of the other. But we find them both convenient as pegs on which we may hang a few, and very few, remarks. We shall hardly, we imagine, be suspected of interested motives in noticing an institution, which has either quietly breathed its last, or has existed for three years, certainly without creating any considerable noise or sensation in the world. We are ignorant, like our correspondent, whether the society exists; and, if it be dead, we feel no intense anxiety to revive it.

First, then, we have to remark,-as we know that many associations still flourish in the metropolis, bearing a resemblance, in their plan, to the "Select Academical Society, instituted September 14, 1819," that it will be neither an useless nor an uninteresting speculation, to trace their operations, and examine their influence: and, moreover, to consider, if more such societies are to be established under what régulations they can be established with most profit to their members.

Secondly, we would say, that it might be a particularly curious inquiry, to discuss the effect of such institutions upon that class of persons who are likely to subscribe to an association, in which the greatest fine to be levied, as far as we can discover, is the enormous sum of one shilling and six-pence or what we can hardly suppose to be more than equivalent to it, the forfeiture of all claim to the property of the society.

Thirdly, we deem it edifying to observe, that this severe penalty of one shilling and six-pence is to be inflicted when "any member disappoints the society of a lecture." Alas! when we read the clause, we reflected with shame and compunction, how many lecturers we have known in the course of our lives from whom we could have borne such a disappointment without wishing to exact a fine!

Fourthly, we wish to prove, by our mention of the select Academical Society, that our Council is devoid of all fashionable pride, and aristocratic arrogance; and that we consider every class of his Majesty's subjects worthy of our attention, and obnoxious to our jurisdiction.

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Fifthly, we might advert, in warm strains of eulogium, to the sustained dignity and elevation of style, in which the prospectus is written; and the discreet use of terms in such good repute as "Moderator," "Secretary," "Treasurer," "Librarian," "voting by proxy," "account of receipts and disbursements:" but we think, upon mature consideration of the matter, that our recommendation is the less necessary, as the taste and custom of the age already lean towards the grand, the imposing, the magnificent, the polysyllabic mode of composition, and require no incitement to apply grave and high-sounding appellations to any and every person on any and every occasion. Far be it from us to ridicule or depreciate the adoption of long dignified, and venerable words: we would only hint that it may be carried to such an extent, as almost to approximate to the vein of "ancient Pistol."

Sixthly, to speak seriously and practically-we here give notice, that we are soon about to enter upon an examination of all existing societies, associations, or clubs, whether religious, political, philanthropic, philosophical, literary, scientific, convivial, forensic, devoted to the fine or useful arts, or under whatever other denomination they may come. All, we mean, which deserve notice either for good or for evil. But before we proceed to their use and objects, we wish to arrange and classify them under their several heads. Our first care, therefore, will be to obtain a complete list or catalogue. With regard to the more prominent and celebrated societies, we can, of course, without difficulty, obtain ample information; but if any of our readers will forward to us an authentic account of such as are less known, and likely to have escaped our researches, we shall esteem it as a peculiar favour. We shall commence with the British dominions, being Britons: but we may, perhaps, ultimately extend our inquiries to the principal associations which have been formed upon the continent of Europe, and in other parts of the world.

MEETING OF THE COUNCIL.

NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS. ENLARGEMENT OF THE DESIGN.

We have written the words "Meeting of the Council," but we have written them rather in conformity with our custom, than from having any thing to communicate on the present occasion, with regard to the assemblies of "The Ten." It is not yet the exact time to admit our readers into the secret of the frequent discussions, which we have held during the month of October. Let it, however, be known, that we have been engaged in grave and weighty matters, and that the nation will soon have the whole benefit of the labours which we are undergoing, and the schemes which we are forming.

To our Correspondents we can spare but a very meagre notice they must be content for the most part with a general acknowledgment of their favours.

Although we have not yet had the pleasure of seeing the Gentleman, who sent to our Council, "A Letter to the Earl of Liverpool, on certain existing enormities, and the means of their suppression;” we trust that he has received our answer. His communication is safe in our possession. "A despiser of Liberals,' but not an Illiberal,” will see that we have taken Lord Byron in hand.

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"What," asks a correspondent, "is become of the Squire?" Indeed we hardly know ourselves; but we expect very shortly to hear tidings of him from the country.

Scrutator can hardly be too severe on our misprints. He particularly remarks in the last number a large M for the word ill, in our imitation of Horace; and Champagne instead of Montaigne, in the quotation from Pope. This last mistake, ridiculous as it is, must not, we confess, we laid to the account of the printer. It was a strange blunder in the manuscript of our Correspondent, which, in our hurry of looking over his composition, we forgot to correct. We ought to add, that "the grated inlet on Holborn-hill," mentioned in our article on Taste, alludes to " Furnival's-inn."

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We beg leave to state, that we have been obliged to omit many articles in the present number, for want of room, be

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