174 History of the Society of ^Dilettanti
twenty-five years ago, or at any reasonable time afterwards, it had
been thought that the same energy would be considered useful to
the Dilettanti Society, most happy should I have been to have
contributed every aid in my power. But as such expectation has
long since past, I really do not apprehend that I shall be thought
fastidious if I decline the honour now proposed to me at this my
eleventh hour.'
Lord Elgin, though his health had already begun
to fail, survived for ten years the date of this letter,
and, dying in 1841, was succeeded by his second son,
the eighth earl, afterwards successively Governor of
Canada and Governor-General of India.
cmrespon- Two of the leading members of the Society had
defs about 1820 taken up their residence permanently
"the Hm. on tne Continent, but were in the sequel persuaded
w. R. to remain honorary and corresponding members of
spencer. the Society. One of these, the Honourable William
Robert Spencer, who settled in Paris, was among the
most refined and cultivated men in the society of his
day; and of his many poems, which were at one time
highly esteemed in fashionable circles, a few have
survived with hopes of permanency, such as his
pathetic verses of lBeth Gelert,' 'The Emigrant's
Grave,' &c. On July 4, 1830, a resolution was
passed by the Society
' That it be notified to Mr. Spencer that in consideration of his
able and distinguished conduct during the time that he had attended
the Meetings of the Society, he be released from all annual pay-
ments to the Society during the time that he shall continue his
Residence abroad, that he be requested to communicate to the
Secretary from time to time such matters of Information, as may
fall under his notice, wherever he may be resident, as he may
judge likely to interest the Society or contribute in any way to
promote the general purposes of the Society/
sir w. Gell. The other exile was Sir William Gell, who
settled in Italy in 1820, residing partly in Rome,
but chiefly, and in the end permanently, at Naples.
twenty-five years ago, or at any reasonable time afterwards, it had
been thought that the same energy would be considered useful to
the Dilettanti Society, most happy should I have been to have
contributed every aid in my power. But as such expectation has
long since past, I really do not apprehend that I shall be thought
fastidious if I decline the honour now proposed to me at this my
eleventh hour.'
Lord Elgin, though his health had already begun
to fail, survived for ten years the date of this letter,
and, dying in 1841, was succeeded by his second son,
the eighth earl, afterwards successively Governor of
Canada and Governor-General of India.
cmrespon- Two of the leading members of the Society had
defs about 1820 taken up their residence permanently
"the Hm. on tne Continent, but were in the sequel persuaded
w. R. to remain honorary and corresponding members of
spencer. the Society. One of these, the Honourable William
Robert Spencer, who settled in Paris, was among the
most refined and cultivated men in the society of his
day; and of his many poems, which were at one time
highly esteemed in fashionable circles, a few have
survived with hopes of permanency, such as his
pathetic verses of lBeth Gelert,' 'The Emigrant's
Grave,' &c. On July 4, 1830, a resolution was
passed by the Society
' That it be notified to Mr. Spencer that in consideration of his
able and distinguished conduct during the time that he had attended
the Meetings of the Society, he be released from all annual pay-
ments to the Society during the time that he shall continue his
Residence abroad, that he be requested to communicate to the
Secretary from time to time such matters of Information, as may
fall under his notice, wherever he may be resident, as he may
judge likely to interest the Society or contribute in any way to
promote the general purposes of the Society/
sir w. Gell. The other exile was Sir William Gell, who
settled in Italy in 1820, residing partly in Rome,
but chiefly, and in the end permanently, at Naples.