The Royal Society began informally in London around 1645 when a number of scientists, including Robert Boyle, Christopher Wren and Robert Moray, met to discuss the then new experimental philosophy. Boyle described the Royal Society, as it officially became upon receiving the Royal Charter from Charles II in 1660, as 'our invisible college or the philosophical college'. Charles Richard Weld (1813-69) was the assistant secretary and librarian of the Royal Society from 1845 until 1861 and his well-written History of the Royal Society was published in 1848. It is the work for which he is best known. Compiled from a wealth of authentic documents such as the Royal Society journal, register, council books and letters, the History contains detailed memoirs of the presidents, including Robert Boyle, Sir Isaac Newton, Roger Bacon and Sir Humphrey Davy. Each memoir examines the scientist's life, experiments and involvement with the Royal Society. The work details the development of western science from the twelfth century to the mid-nineteenth century and examines the role of the Royal Society in this development. One interesting chapter reveals the foundation of an early Society in Italy, which was eventually discontinued. An appendix contains the 'Descriptive Catalogue of the Portraits in the Possession of the Royal Society', which was compiled by order of the council in 1860.