The Sun.
London, England, 1823-06-19 00:00:00

ROYAL SOCIniY hITERATURE.

The Members of this infant Association, a
rising monument of the munificence of GEORGE
IV., held on Tuesday their first General Meet-
ing,•at the house of the Literal Fund Society,
in Lincoln's Inn-fields.

At half-past two o'clock the chair was taken
by THE BISHOP Or ST. DA 'cm's, Provisional Pre-
sident of the Society. His Lordship, in a written
address, set before the meeting a brief outline of
the origin and progreisive history of the under-
taking, from its first conception, under the imme-
diate auspices of the'King, to its actual state of
complete and effective existence. The Royal
Endowments presented to the Society by his
Majesty were stated by his Lordship to consist
of ten Associateships at 100 guineas each, per
ann., and 100 guineas for two honorary medals,
to be adjudged yearly to the authors of eminent
productions or important " discoveries" In Lite-
rature ; to which- an equal number of Associate-
ships, similarly endowed, are to be added by the
Society. His Lordship concluded with a cursory
detail of the various objects of literary research
which the Society proposes to itself, and by some
just observations upon their importance.
The Provisional Secretary then proceeded to
read the " Constitution and Regulations" of the
Society, drawn up by the S'rovisional Council, to
which the King's sign manuel, accompanied by
the fullest expressions of his Majesty's sanction
and approval was prefixed, the reading of which
was followed by an address, stating more at
large the grounds, upon which it appeared to the
projectors that an Academy of „Literary Enquiry
had become an important and desirable object
in this country—a particular specification of the
principles and motives with which they embarked
in the undertaking—a declaration of the liberal
spirit in which it is proposed to follow them up,
and of their hope of final success in securing to
themselves a lasting reputation, by conferring a
permanent benefit upon their country.
The ballot for Officers and Memberiof Coun-
cil for the ensuing year then took place ; and
closed by its being announced that the following
persons were unanimously elected, viz. :

PRESIDENT.
The Lord Bishop of St. David's.
VICE-PRESIDENTS. _ _

The Lord Bishop of Chester Sir Gore Ouseley, Bart.
Lord Chief Justice Abbott Sir J. Mackintosh
Right Hon. J. C. Villiers The Rev. Archdeacon Nareh
Hon. George Agar Ellis Colonel Leake.
Impey, Esq.
LiattAittAx......Rev. H. B. Baber.
SECRETARY—Rev. Richard Cattennele.
.COUNCIT..
Marquis of Lansdown James Cumming, Esq.
Right lion. Lord Grenville William Empson, Esq.
Right Hon. Lord Morpeth Rev. Dr. Gray
Sir Thomas Acland, Bart. Prince Iloare, Esq.
Sir A. Johnstone W. Jerdan, Esq.
F. Chantrey, Rev. Archdeacon Prosser
.Taylor Combo Lsq. • Rev. Dr. Richards
Rev. George eroly Rev. Charles Sumner
After a motion (authorising the Council to
make the necessary provisions for carrying into
vigorous effect, during its first session, to em-
inence in November next, such measures as may
be requisite for ensuring success to the labours of
the Institution,) had been made and carried, and
some other business respecting the regulation of
the Society's affairs, had been settled,
The Bishop of CHESTER rose, and began a
short) but feeling and animated speech, by ob-
serving, that the Meeting would ill discharge the
duties of the day did it pass by the present op-
portunity of expressing a greatful sense of the
obligations which the Society lay under to the ami-
able and learned individual, by whose suggestion
it bud been planned, and whose assiduous care,
under the encouraging munificence of its. Royal
Patron, had successfully fostered its infancy.—
They well knew with what an ardent and un-
wearied anxiety the Prelate now in the Chair
had uniformly devoted himself to the promotion
of sound learning, piety, and the national morals ;
this anxiety had been directed, with peculiar
earnestness and much success, to the formation
and welfare of the Royal Society of Literature.
To the Bishop of St. David's, next to Its Royal
Founder, it owed every thing—that it has been

conducted throught the struggles of formation—
that it has been brought to its present stage of
maturity—in fine, that is exists. He would con-
clude, therefore, by moving the thanks of the
Meeting to the Bishop of St. David's, the zea-
lous President of this youthful, but important and
National Institution.

The TREASURER experienced the warmest
satisf►►ction in rising to second the motion of
the Bishop of Chester. As a member of the
Provisional Council he could bear testimony
to the zeal and ability with which the Presi-
dent had watched over the growth of the
Society ; that associations of this kind should
meet with some unfriendly feelings at their
outset, was to be expected, because in every pre-
ceding instance such had been matter of expe-
rience. Some prejudices, of course, must be
shocked, some interests, real or imaginary, be
interfered with. The ItoyAr SOCIETY OF LI-
TERATURE had met with enmities in its cradle ;
it had had to encounter opposition before it could
have acquired strength to repel attack, lie was,
however, able to congratulate the Meeting upon
the promise now held out by the Society, that it
would—slowly, it might be, but yet by a steady
and certain progression—attain to a high rank
among the great and learned Institutions of the
age, and thereby confer at once, honour, and ad-
vantage upon the Country. The Meeting then
break up.

In offering to our Readers this slight notice
of a Meeting so interesting to every lover
of Literature, we feel an apology to be due
from us to all parties for its imperfections.—
From it, however, the public will be able to ga-
ther, that we are fully authorised by the posi-
tion this Society is now assuming to congratu-
late the friends to the grand interests of our Na-
tional Literature, and, Indeed, every patriotic
member of society, upon the addition thus made
to those valuable Institutions, which constitute
the intellectual glory of England, and will per-
petuate her character among the nations. We
have seeit with regret, and we may say with a
feeling of shame, that .a certain portion of the
press has shewn a worse spirit then mere Wit.
ference to the great cause in which we have a