304 Proceedings of the Royal Society. 



made their report relative to the accounts of the society, the pre- 

 sident informed the members that two Copley medals had been 

 awarded by the council, the one to M. Arago, of the Royal 

 Academy of Sciences at Paris, and F. R. S. ; and the other to 

 Mr. Peter Barlow, F. R. S., Professor in the Royal Military Aca- 

 demy at Woolwich. " The discoveries and labours," said the 

 president, " which your council have made it their pleasure and 

 thought it their duty to honour, by conferring on their authors the 

 highest rewards * of this society, both belong to the same de- 

 partment of science — Magnetism — a department which has always 

 claimed a considerable portion of your attention, both in its rela- 

 tions to philosophy and utility ; to the laws and properties of 

 natural forms ; and to navigation, the great source of the power 

 and prosperity of this mighty empire." Sir Humphry Davy 

 then proceeded to enter somewhat in detail into the history of 

 magnetism, and more especially dwelt upon the importance of the 

 recent discoveries relating to its mysterious connexion with elec- 

 trical phenomena. He enumerated the leading results of the 

 inquiries and experiments of M. Arago and of Mr. Barlow ; and 

 having stated that Mr. South would receive the medal on the part 

 of, and transmit it to M. Arago, addressed him nearly as follows : — 

 •* In transmitting this medal to M. Arago, assure him of the deep 

 interest we take in his important researches, and inform him that 

 we await with impatience the continuation of his labours. As a 

 fellow of this society, his discoveries have for us the same interest 

 that they have for his brethren of the Royal Academy of Sciences, 

 which, for more than a century and a half, has gone on encourag- 

 ing and emulating our labours. You, and our worthy secretary, 

 Mr. Herschel, are examples of recent liberality on their part, and 

 of the respect paid to British talent. We, I trust, shall never be 

 behind them in dignity and nobleness of sentiment — far be from 



* We are happy in being able to state that the Copley medal is no longer 

 the highest honorary reward in the gift of the Royal Society, His Majesty 

 having been graciously pleased to confer upon the Society two annual medals 

 of the value of fifty pounds each, to be awarded for scientific discoveries, as the 

 council shall deem most expedient. 



