Royal Society's Honours. 17 



neither hang doubt nor discrepancy ; the title should be with- 

 out flaws, the claim without a drawback ; and that which 

 crowns the impropriety of the present adjudgment is, that a 

 list of names might easily be produced upon whom the dis- 

 tinction might have been conferred without a shadow of im- 

 propriety or inconsistency ; three or four such may be found 

 in the Council itself, and several in the lists of the Society : 

 Philosophers, whose discoveries are really their own, and who 

 have not only enlightened and enriched science, but have 

 exalted the name and fame of the Royal Society by their 

 splendid contributions to its published Transactions, a set of 

 volumes in which the name of Dalton scarcely appears, except 

 annexed to one or two unimportant and flimsy papers. 



Of Mr. Ivory I have much less to say; he is universally 

 admitted to be a deep and skilful mathematician, but his 

 researches are, unfortunately, of a very abstract nature ; and 

 though of his abilities and originality there may be no doubt, 

 the usefulness of his inquiries is open to a query. Some may 

 find an interest in abstruse investigations, having for their 

 object the determination of the figure which the earth would 

 assume were it made of calf's-foot jelly instead of rock and 

 stone, and such a question may cost months of daily and 

 nightly labour to solve : much midnight oil, and much sweat 

 of the mental brow may be expended in its determination : but 

 when settled, where is the fruit of the demonstration ? 



Upon the whole, it may, I think, fairly be assumed that, 

 although the claims of Mr. Ivory to the honour which has 

 now been bestowed, are far more substantial than those of 

 Mr. Dalton, they are yet open to objection, and that, upon the 

 present important occasion, he whose discoveries and inven- 

 tions have most largely contributed to the general extension 

 of science, or most decidedly bear upon the progress and per- 

 fection of the useful arts, should have taken precedence, and 

 should have been selected from among his less industrious 

 compeers as most worthy in himself, and most efficient as an 

 example to others. 



I am, Sir, yours, &c. 



F. R. S. 



JAN.— MARCH, 1827, C 



