"In regard to the women question, I perfectly _saw_ your contention and the logical cohesion of your view, and I was familiar with the Tresham episode, only I dissent from your view; I maintain that there were from the first non-Council-sitting members--for 'members' the women certainly were. 'It is the King's pleasure that the following forty persons be the original _members_ of the Society,' and they did not serve on Council, as the roster shows, _though all members_ were supposed to have sat; of course the laws were for the original as well as the elected members, and if the privilege could be refused to an original member whose name stands on the paper that says that all members shall serve in Council, it can and must on the same grounds be refused to elected female members after the custom is consecrated by Royal sanction." _January 31, 1880._ "DEAR WELLS,--I should much like to hear what you wish to say about the office of Treasurer--there are several points connected directly or indirectly with the office which it will be well to consider before I ask the Queen to appoint, and I have called a Council for _Thursday_ (the funeral is not till Tuesday), at which these matters may be considered. It would seem advisable and convenient that the Treasurer's work be done at the Academy, and not away from it. I think also that the wording of the clause appointing a Surveyor might be made clearer; it ought not to be _possible_ for any one to misunderstand or misinterpret its bearing. Unfortunately I have an appointment to-morrow afternoon at 4.30, and my work in the day is so urgent, having to be handed over on a fixed day, that I cannot leave it--would _Tuesday_ at _five_ do? say at the Athenæum, or here a little later? we should still be forty-eight hours in advance of the Council. In regard to the women question, I perfectly _saw_ your contention and the logical cohesion of your view, and I was familiar with the Tresham episode, only I dissent from your view; I maintain that there were from the first 'non-Council-sitting' members--for 'members' the women certainly were: 'It is Her Majesty's pleasure that the following forty persons be the original _members_ of the Society,' and they did not serve on Council as the roster shows, though _all members_ were supposed to have sat. Of course the laws were for the 'original' as well as for the 'elected' members, and if the privilege could be refused to an original member whose name stands on the paper, that says that all members shall serve on Council, it can and must on the same grounds be refused to 'elected' female members after the custom is consecrated by Royal sanction.--In haste, yours very truly, FRED LEIGHTON.