Page:William Petty - Economic Writings (1899) vol 1.djvu/44

The preface to the first edition of the "Observations" is dated 25 January, 1661/2. They met apparently a favourable reception. Before they had been in print two months, Pepys, ever alert to hear some new thing, was buying a copy at Westminster Hall^[1]. To others, as to him, they must have "appeared at first sight to be very pretty," for a new edition was called for within the year^[2]. The greatest compliment however, which Graunt received on account of his book, and doubtless the compliment which he most appreciated, was his election into the Royal Society. The 5th February, 1662, fifty copies of the "Observations" were presented by Dr Whistler on behalf of the author to the "Society of Philosophers meeting at Gresham Colledg." The epistle dedicatory to their president, Sir Robert Moray, was at once read, whereupon thanks were ordered to be returned to Graunt, and he was proposed a candidate^[3]. Bishop Sprat says that Graunt was recommended to the Royal Society—for as such the Society of Philosophers were presently incorporated—by no one less than the King himself, and that "in his election it was so far from being a prejudice that he was a shopkeeper of London, that His Majesty gave this particular charge to His Society, that if they found any more such tradesmen, they should be sure to admit them all, without any more ado^[4]." The Society, however, seems to have had, even thus early in its history, a fitting sense of its own dignity. At any rate it took adequate precautions that Graunt be not admitted until his fitness for membership had been established beyond question. On the 12th February a formidable committee, composed of Sir William Petty, Dr Needham, Dr Wilkins, Dr Goddard, Dr Whistler, and Dr Ent, was appointed to examine the book. Their report is not preserved by Birch, but it must have been favourable, for 26th February Graunt was elected a fellow of the Society. In spite of his assertion, in the epistle dedicatory to Sir Robert Moray, that he was none of their number nor had the least ambition to be so^[5], Graunt promptly accepted the election and subscribed his name at the next meeting of the Society^[6]. His connection with the Royal Society appears to have been, on the whole, rather formal than vital. He was, indeed, for some five years after his election a frequent attendant at its meetings, he proposed

1. Diary, 24 March, 1662.
2. Cf. Bibliography.
3. Birch, History of the Society, i. 75.
4. Sprat, History of the Royal Society, 67.
5. P. 324, post
6. Birch, i. 76—77.