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long laboured to reduce into practice a
scheme he had projected for this purpose.
Their first meeting was at Rathmill's
coffee-house, March 22d 1754, when
those noble Lords approved and patroniz-
ed the undertaking. At their next meet-
ing they determined to make a beginning,
by proposing rewards for the discovery of
cobalt, for the encouragement of boys and
girls in the art of drawing, (thereby to im-
prove manufactures in taste and elegance,)
and for the planting of madder in this
kingdom. And now money being want-
ed, a voluntary subscription was begun,
to which the two noblemen before nam-
ed, did not only generously contribute
much more than they would let appear,
but engaged moreover to make good the
deficiencies at the end of the year: a pro-
mise they most honourably fulfilled. Soon
after this, a plan was drawn up by one of
the members (Mr. Baker) for forming, re-
gulating and governing the Society, which
being printed and dispersed, the great utility
of such a society became so well under-
stood, that immediately several noblemen
and gentlemen offered themselves as
members, and ever since that time its
increase has been so extraordinary, that it
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consists at present of above 1000 mem-
bers, many of whom are of the greatest
quality and fortune: and it can now af-
ford to offer premiums to the amount of
near 2000l. per annum.
The officers of this Society are a Presi-
dent, eight Vice-presidents, a Register, and
a Secretary; and these are to be chosen by
ballot annually on the first Tuesday in
March. Every person desiring to be a mem-
ber of this Society, must be proposed by
some member of the same at one of their
meetings, by delivering in the name,
addition, and place of abode of such per-
son, signed by himself; which must be
read by the Secretary, and balloted for
at the next meeting, and if two thirds of
the members then present are for admit-
ting such person, he shall be deemed a
perpetual member on payment of twenty
guineas, or a subscribing member on
payment of any sum not less than two
guineas, and continuing such payment
annually: but tho' two guineas a year is the
most common subscription, all the mem-
bers that are noblemen, and even some
gentlemen, subscribe five guineas, and se-
veral others four or three. There are also la-
dies that are subscribers; eminent foreigners
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