[Pppehrserver-law-eu] {Spam?} ition. "On a sudden,

[Lavalla]

Which would be interesting, I will for the present reply only to your
question. I well knew Mr. Fletcher, who was a very clever and very
scientific person. He did, as solicitor, defend an action brought by an
informer against the Society--I think for 5,000l.--for giving lectures
to the public in philosophical subjects [i.e., for unlicensed public
exhibition with money taken at the doors]. I think the price for
admission was one shilling, and we used to have, if I rightly recollect,
from two to three hundred visitors. Mr. Fletcher was successful in his
defence, and we got out of our trouble. There was a collection made to
reward his services, but he did not accept of any reward: and I think we
gave him a dinner, as you state, and enjoyed ourselves; no doubt with
astronomical songs and other songs; but my recollection does not enable
me to say if the astronomical song was a drinking song. I think the
anxiety caused by that action was the cause of some of the members'
death. [They had, no doubt, broken the law in ignorance; and by the sum
named, the informer must have been present, and sued for a penalty on
every shilling he could prove to have been taken]." I by no means
guarantee that the whole song I proceed to give is what was sung at the
dinner: I suspect, by the completeness of the chain, that augmentations
have been made. My deceased friend was just the man to add some verses,
or the addition may have been made before it came into his hands, or
since his decease, for the scraps containing the verses passed through
several hands before they came into mine. We may, however, be pretty
sure that the original is substantially contained in what is given, and
that the character is therefore preserved. I have had myself to repair
damages every now and then, in the way of conjectural restoration of
defects caused by ill-usage. {380} THE ASTRONOMER'S DRINKING SONG.
"Whoe'er would search the starry sky, Its secrets to divine, sir, Should
take his glass-
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