How I came to be a member of that Society - and continued so until it joined the Royal Astronomical Society, and then was the President - was: I happened to pass a bookseller's small shop of second hand books, kept by a poor taylor, but a good mathematician, John Griffiths. I was very pleased to meet a mathematician, and I asked him if he would give me some lessons; and his reply was that I was more capable to teach him, but he belonged to a society of mathematicians, and he would introduce me. I accepted the offer, and I was elected, and had many scholars then to teach, as one of the rules was, if a member asked for information, and applied to one who could give it, he was obliged to give it, or be fined one penny.
Ako ay tunay masiyahan upang matugunan ang isang dalub-agbilang, at ako nagtanong sa kanya kung siya ay bigyan ako ng ilang lessons; at ang kanyang reply ay na ako ay mas may kakayahan na magturo sa kanya, ngunit siya belonged sa isang lipunan ng mga mathematicians, at siya ay kitang ipakilala sa akin. Ko tatanggapin ang alok, at ako ay elected, at nagkaroon ng maraming mga iskolar at pagkatapos ay sa turuan, bilang isa sa mga patakaran ay, kung ang isang miyembro ng nagtanong para sa mga impormasyon, at inilalapat sa isa na maaaring bigyan ito, siya ay nagpapasalamat sa ibigay ito, o maging magmulta ng isa sentimos.