“These papers being universally approved as both instructive and entertaining, they order’d ’em to be sent down thither when they were read every Post-day, generally aloud to the whole company, who could sit and talk over the subject afterwards. This insensibly drew the men of sense and letters into a sociable way of conversing, and continued ye next yeare, 1710, until the publisher desisted to their great regret, whose thoughts being by this means bent towards their own improvement in knowledge, they again in like manner heard some of the Tatlers read over, and now and then, a Poem, Letter, or Essay upon some subject in polite literature; and it being hapily suggested that as they take care to have these papers kept together, it would be well worth their while to take into consideration the state of the Parochial Library, where there were some valuable editions of the best authors in no very good condicon, and they did accordingly agree to contribute towards the repairing of the old and adding new books to it. But being by ye two worst enemies to understanding, Ignorance & Indolence, prevented doing much for it, they turned their beneficial intention towards the royal and ffree Grammar School, in which there was at that time a large but empty desk capable of being made a press or class on wᶜʰ ye one only solitary volume then belonging to the school lay (viz.) ‘Langius Polyanthæa,’ bestowed upon it by Sir John Oldfield, Bart., some years before, & to this these Gentlemen did now voluntarily add several other Authors in Gram̅atical, Critical, or Classic learning, wᶜʰ was to ye great pleasure & convenience of the worthy Master.”
The use of both these Libraries was, however, reserved for the members of the Society.
According to the Society’s book-plate, which was engraved by George Vertue, after a design submitted to him by Maurice Johnson, the date of the institution of the Society is 1710. This date is also frequently referred to by the founder as that of its institution.
In March 1711, the Spectator came out, and was duly read here as the Tatter had been.
“From the time of its first foundation in 1709,” says Johnson, “it was only a meeting at a coffee-house upon trial, how such a designe might succeed, to the time when it was fixed upon yᵉ rules signed and subscribed in 1712. Yet I constantly kept every paper communicated to the company, and read and left there, tho’ these being for the most, part printed papers no minutes were made thereof. Upon the proposal being signed or subscribed, I attempted taking minutes, that some account might appear to be serviceable for conducting this good design and assisting other gentlemen, my acquaintance and friends in Lincoln City, Peterborough, Stamford, Boston, Oundle, Wisbech, and elsewhere, to institute and promote the like design and hold correspondence with us. In some places this succeeded.”
Proposals for the carrying on of the Society having been submitted on November 3, 1712, the same were on that day agreed to, and the Rev. Stephen Lyon, minister of Spalding and rector of Mereworth, in Kent, was elected the first president. On January 5, 1712/3, Mr. William Ambler was, on the proposal of Mr. Lyon, elected to succeed him; and, it having been proposed to elect a secretary “to minute their proceedings, and keep all papers, &c., in good order for the furtherance of their laudable design,” the Society elected to that post Mr. Maurice Johnson, “who very willingly accepted that office.” At the meeting held on 2nd February the Rev. John Wareing, headmaster of the Grammar School, was elected president for the month of February; but, he being much indisposed, Mr. Johnson, senr., was on the 25th elected president for a month. The Rev. S. Lyon was again chosen to act as president from 25th March, but on the 30th of the same month it was decided that, as so frequent a change was not beneficial to the Society, the president should remain in office “quam diu se bene gesserit.”
This year the Lay Monk and Memoirs of Literature were taken in. A resolution was also passed for the admission of extra-regular or honorary members, to the number of fourteen, each of whom was to give to the library of the church a book or books to the value of one pound.
In 1715-16 a little room in the old part of the parsonage-house was fitted up, and by favour of the Rev. Timothy Neve (subsequently Prebendary of Lincoln and of Peterborough, and Archdeacon of Huntingdon), who hired that part, the Society met there at the usual times, until the number of members having increased they were obliged to find a larger room, and agreed to take one in the “Markett-stead.”