An "Old Fellow of the Royal Society" has sent the
following letter to the Duke of Sussex, and a copy of it for publication in the Times. We believe that what is said respecting the entertainments at
Kensington is correct-
.. Sir--I have only this (lay received. addressed to me individually, a lithographed
copy of your Royal Highness's letter to the al Society ; to which, as it has appeared iu iii,' pubic papers. I tr ust I shall be excused for making this public reply.
" oLjeet of that letter seems to be, that the Ito) di Society, and through it the should anderstand that your Royal Highness's income does not enable you to maintain with adequate dignity the station ot President of the Royal Society. " As, after so public an appeal to us, our silence might he construed into assent, and as that as.ent would involve serious difficulty to Idling the chair hereafter—for if your e table of distance at page 44 in the arlway Commissioners' Report would i Ho; al ilighuess eanuot Miura to 411 it, who coult11-1 take the liberty a say tug tkat L ULU WilUii, unaware how the chair ot the Itcyal Society cun entail on its 0.:cupler any such scale of expense as seems implied in your Royal highness's letter. "I have been !May years a Fellow of that society, , and have frequently had the ho. sour of being elected of the Council ; RIO 1 have attended the evening parties of Sir Joseph Banks, Sir IL Davy, mid Mr. Gilbert. I have also attended, I believe, nil the • soirees' at your Royal II ighuess's residence, for w Welt I was honoured with an imi- tation; and I think I may say that these have not amounted to fume altogether. and that, except your Royal Iligimess's frank and gracious reception or your guests, there was nothing to distinguish them from those evening parties so frequeut in London, in 'which a private gentleman affords WA, coffee, and conversation to his literary friends. " I know not whether others may have received more frequent invitations or mor costly entertainmeuts. I presume nut ; for by the cuustitutiust of our aucietv use are fellows, that is, equals. I can ouly say, that t he meetings which I attended, though 'main ps too few its number. were Con laded with plain, if wit frugal, good, taste, and that in the simplicity of their style there was flitting to conPro.t offensively with the ordinary habits of the guests, nor, I should have thought, to iacrease, in any seusible degree, the expenses of your Royal II ighuess's establishment. "I regret sincerely that your Roy at Highness's resignation of the chair should have been in any degree attributed to the preeq trp responsibilities of the Mlle., fir I fear that the very'llt test man in England fir the situation is ill decline it. from a hi hog that he, with his moderate bat honourable fortune, timid not accent it w hived sipp ii hug to coutrotert yoer Royal Ilighttes,'s opinion, and to coutradiet your statement. No doubt it may have cost y stir Royal II -Wines,: mure than it might to a private gentle • man; hot to a private gentletnau having already a residence in London, I do not con- eMve that the. additional anno.s1 expense could wowed gonl., mid it ott..ht not. At such meeting, the mires themselves are the be-t part te eatertaiament, and their own eime-sation alt the luxury. Merl of sziettee may a:Iodate, but the do lust expect o sup by Gunter's scut;
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