The manuscript versions of papers published by the Royal Society in the 'Philosophical Transactions'. The series has many points of interest, which include authors' corrections to manuscripts, and the presence of original illustrations in various media (drawings, watercolours and photographs) bound in the volumes. Not all of the material printed in the 'Philosophical Transactions' relating to Society business survives, but manuscript examples of meteorological observations, lists of presents and annual indexing may be found in volumes 8, 9 and 12.
Papers are usually bound into vellum-covered volumes by year of publication, although a few (volumes 4, 5, 8, 9, 12, 17, 73-75) are loose, boxed items. Several gaps appear in the collection, notably for the period 1825-1839 (volumes 18-22) and any year may lack one or more papers; these omissions are noted at the beginning of each part. Despite this, the series constitutes a large, relatively complete run.
Manuscripts and occasionally proofs of papers published in the 'Proceedings of the Royal Society' 1882-94, covering volumes 33-56 of the printed series. The printed Proceedings may contain 3 types of papers read to the Fellowship:
1) papers abstracted in the 'Proceedings', but not printed in 'Philosophical Transactions'.
2) papers abstracted in the 'Proceedings', and then printed in 'Philosophical Transactions'.
3) papers printed in full in the 'Proceedings'.
The published 'Proceedings' were issued from 1832 initially as retrospective abstracts of the 'Philosophical Transactions', but from volume 3 as a record of the Society's meetings including abstracts of papers read but not published. Volume 7 initiated the procedure of publishing full papers in addition to abstracts. The papers are in separate locations within the archives. Manuscript papers of typ 1 (see description above) may be found in the series Archived Papers; those of type 2 in the 'Philosophical Transactions' series; and type 3 in this series of 'Proceedings Papers'. ther are a number of missing papers from the series, but it remains relatively complete with the dates specified. 87 papers are unaccounted for, together with some illustrative material.
Royal Society