Why I Do Not FRS my Tail: Augustus De Morgan and The Royal Society

The mathematician Augustus De Morgan chose not to become a Fellow of the Royal Society. This short article examines the reasons behind this choice and a sketch that he drew representing a satirical ‘Coat of Arms’ for the Society. Despite recent reform, De Morgan felt that the Society still represented aristocratic privilege rather than scientific attainment. In addition, his research into the history of the Society revealed past unfairness done in its name, for which it was yet to atone. De Morgan, who opposed and hoped to expose the presence of vested interests in the realm of science, was never to be convinced that the Royal Society represented and facilitated independent scientific endeavour.