Notes and records of the Royal Society of London

Abstract

The Anniversary Dinner for 1950 was held at the Dorchester Hotel on St Andrew’s day. The Society’s guests included the Resident Minister for Australia, the High Commissioner for India, the Earl of Crawford, Viscount Addison, Viscount Simon, Lord Normand, Lord MacMillan, Lord Woolton, the Lord President of the Council, the Mayor of Westminster, Sir Alan Lascelles, Sir Edward Bridges and the Royal Society’s Medallists for 1950. Grace was said by the President. Rising to propose the toast of 4 The Royal Society of London,’ Viscount Simon said: ‘ Mr President, Your Excellencies, my Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen: ‘ A man who has no pretensions to be a scientist may well feel perturbed when he is asked to propose this toast. ‘ One feels like some chained and dejected savage whom the ancient Romans, when they celebrated a victory, had the habit of including in the triumphal procession, so that his presence increased their sense of power, while he envied their citizenship which he could not share. This sombre reflexion suggests the question, what should be the attitude, in this highly specialized age, of the nomscientific man to the studies represented round these tables ? I will not presume to ask how those who have specialized in a branch of science should regard the other learning which goes by the name of the humanities.