Index of Papers read before the Royal Society between 1684 and 1741.

Description

Second volume of a ledger indexing the papers presented at a weekly meeting of the Royal Society. The volume is divided in two parts separated by blank pages. Pagination runs from 301 (end of the table from the preceding volume), to 465 but this corresponds to double pages, includes blank pages and is followed by an additional list of papers from correspondents not minutes paginated I to LX.

In the first part of the volume, the table is arranged as the preceding volume (MS/703), in 6 columns across the double pages with the following heads of columns:
'Papers read before the RS' (including titles and authors)
Date
Reference in the 'Guard Books' (reference in alphabetical letter of author)
Entered in Register Books (reference for volume and page)
Entered in Letter Books (reference for volume and page)
'Printed' (with reference to the Philosophical Transactions or other publication).
The ledger of papers read begins on 13 December 1716 but the references for the first 6 papers are included in the preceding volume. Information is complete from 7 February 1717 to 11 June 1741.

The second part of the volume includes a table of 'Papers from Correspondents not minuted' it is arranged in 6 columes across the double pages with the following heads:
'Papers from correspondents not minuted' (including titles and authors)
'Dated' (the field is inconsistently filled with the place of origin, not a date)
'M.D.' (includes the date, inconstently filled)
Reference in the 'Guard Books' (reference in alphabetical letter of author)
Entered in Register Books (reference for volume and page)
Entered in Letter Books (reference for volume and page)
'Printed' (with reference to the Philosophical Transactions or other publication).
This part covers papers dating between 1684 to 1731.

The original source of information is likely to have been the Journal Books of the Society.

This volume was purchased at auction in 1859 in Brighton. The sale was likely following the death of the volume's previous owner, Alexander Caldcleugh FRS (1795-1858), mineralogist, colonial envoy and merchant. It is unclear how Caldcleugh came into its possession but a contemporary article in the Athenaeum (n. 1637, Mar. 12 1859, p. 356) notes a direct connection to Martin Folkes through a previous owner, Sir Richard Bentenson Brt.:
'Sir Richard married Lucretia, daughter and co-heiress of Martin Folkes'. The connection to the VPRS and PRS Martin Folkes narrows down the date of creation of the volume.
The volume includes a bookplate for Alexander Caldcleugh and the name of Sor Richard Betenson is stamped on the flyleaf. It includes in Weld's hand 'Purchased by the Royal Society' with the reference to the Athenaeum article.
On the spine is inscribed the coverage for the first half for the volume, 1776-1741.

Custodial history

Purchased 1859

Reference number

MS/704

Earliest possible date

1741-1750

Physical description

Ink on paper; 39.5cm x 24.5 cm

Page extent

1 volume, MS Large