JOURNAL

OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY WHICH CONDUCTS THE MONTHLY ANTHOLOGY & BOSTON REVIEW. BOSTON OCT 3, 1805

This day having been previously appointed for the adoption of the Constitution, the Society met at the Rev M Gardiner's at 4 P. M. The Constitution 1 Crossed out in the original.

2 Beginning here, the names are in pencil by Mr. Ticknor, and are nearly illegible.

was read & unanimously adopted. The Society afterwards proceeded to the choice of Officers & the following Gentlemen were unanimously elected.

Voted unanimously, that the thanks of the Society be given to M' S. C. Thacher for his services as Editor to this period.1

Thursday October 10th 1805

The Society having met, after some desultory conversation respecting the Printers & the Publication, the Secretary read an extract of a letter from M' R. H.

1 In the original record of the first two meetings the text is broken up into paragraphs, but thereafter very few paragraph divisions are made. In this printed copy the original is followed in every detail, with two or three exceptions. The year is now made a part of the date, although the Secretary Idid not always add it. The word Voted is italicised, and paragraphs are made where such divisions are an aid to clearness, following usually the sign which was made in pencil on the original manuscript by a former reader, or following a long dash in the original.

Chapman' on the University of Cambridge, which the Society thought interesting & agreed to have inserted in the Anthology for this month.

Mr Peter Thacher read two reviews, which were accepted.

Voted on motion of the Secretary, That the Editor write or cause to be written a letter to D' Waterhouse 2 of Cambridge, thanking him for his communications to the Monthly Anthology to this period & requesting a continuation of his kindness.

Voted on motion of M' Shaw, That the Secretary write to the Publishers of the Monthly Magazine in London a letter, giving an account of the M. Anthology & requesting an exchange of the Publications; & that he also forward to said Publishers the N° of the M. A. from Jan' by the first opportunity.

Voted on motion of M' P. Thacher, That the thanks of the Society be given to the makers of the Constitution, M' Walter, M' Shaw & M' Buckminster.

The Society agreed to meet next Thursday Ev2 at M' Thacher's, Court Street, & separated at past 10 after a pleasant meeting.

Thursday October 17, 1805

The Society met at M' Thacher's agreeably to adjournment. The Editor read the review roll. M'

1 Probably Robert Hett Chapman, later President of the University of North Carolina.

2 Benjamin Waterhouse, M.D., Professor of the Theory and Practice of Medicine at Harvard, 1783-1812.

3 The Monthly Magazine; or, British Register, for September, 1804 (volume 18), contains a notice of The Monthly Anthology.

Buckminster read a review of the Salem edition of Sallust, which was on motion accepted. M' Dana read a review of "The Powers of Genius," a poem by Revd J. B. Linn, which was accepted.

On motion of M' Buckminster, M' Welles of the Standing committee read a contract made by sd. Committee between the society & Munroe & Francis, printers. The The report of the Committee was accepted, & the thanks of the Society given to the Committee.

The Society sat down to supper & much pleasant talk & good humour ensued. Many of the members inclined to meet on Wednesday, instead of Thursday next, on account of a particular engagement; & accordingly without a particular vote the President notified the Society to meet at his house in Franklin Place on Wednesday next.

Broke up at eleven o'clock.

Wednesday, Oct 23, 1805

The Society met at Mr. Gardiner's at seven o'clock, The Secretary read a review of White's oration, which was accepted. In the absence of the Editor, M' Buckminster read Revd D' Elliotts review of a farewell Sermon by M' Weare at Hingham & also D' E' review of M' Whitney's sermon on the ordination of Perez Lincoln at Gloucester. It was voted to accept both reviews, & that the Editor should abridge & alter them for the purposes of publication.

M' B. also read a communication, supposed to be

from Dr Waterhouse, on certain errors in Morse's geography respecting the Quakers; but, as it appeared to cast reflections of an illiberal nature, & was not of much importance, it was, on motion of M' B. voted not to be accepted. M' B. also read a foolish piece of poetry from somebody in Newbury Street on a dead or dropped child. It was so absurd, that the disposal of it was not worth a vote.

3

M' B. then read a communication from Revd Dr Elliott,' proposing certain queries on antiquities, & making some remarks on the errors in Marshall's life of Washington, respecting the Brownists, their religious opinions, &c &c Voted to be accepted & published. M' B. then read a political piece from M' Ames of Dedham. The Society thought a poor thing, but as Mr. Ames was the author & as we had solicited his assistance, it was voted to be accepted. M' B. also read a letter from Winthrop Sargeant to M' Emerson on the beauties of Palermo, which, it was voted, should be accepted. M' B. then read a Sylva" " from M' Norton, a young friend of the Editor's, which, it was voted, should be accepted,

1 John Eliot, pastor of New North Church, Boston, 1779-1813; and a founder of the Massachusetts Historical Society.

See The Monthly Anthology for November, 1805, volume 2, pages 562-563.

Fisher Ames.

"Silva," a department of The Monthly Anthology described by the editor as "a repository for curious remarks on men and manners, and literary fragments and novelties." It began in the number for March, 1805.

s Andrews Norton, later a corresponding member of the Anthology Society.