524 Royal Astronomical Society: Anniversary ', 1844. 



" I may also take this opportunity to mention that the star 34 

 Cygni, the celebrated variable star discovered by Janson in 1600, 

 whose period is 18 years, is now at or near its maximum; at least, 

 it is a star of full the 5th mag. and very nearly equal to A 2 and b s . 



" Bode, on the authority of Lalande, has placed in his maps a star 

 of the 4th mag., with the letter i attached, near i) Lyrse. I can find 

 no star in the place laid down visible in an opera-glass. It is the 

 star 153 Lyrae, of Bode's Catalogue. 



" I cannot but suspect several other stars in this constellation of 

 variation ; at least, I find the greatest discordance between the actual 

 aspect of many regions within its extent and the magnitudes as laid 

 down by Bode. Harding's maps, however, agree better. In Har- 

 ding's, however, 13 is marked of the same magnitude with b'K" 



February 9, 1844. — Extracts from the Report of the Council of the 

 Society to the Twenty -fourth Annual General Meeting. 



The Council always regret when they have cause to announce the 

 decease of any of the Fellows or Associates of the Society. On the 

 present occasion they have to lament the death of seven of their 

 number : namely, His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, Professor 

 Wallace, Mr. William Allen, and Mr. Arnold, on the home list ; 

 and Messrs. Bouvard, Cacciatore and Hassler, amongst the asso- 

 ciates. 



His Royal Highness Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex, K.G. 

 &c. departed this life on the 22nd of last April, in his seventy-first 

 year. He was the sixth son of George III. and early devoted his 

 mind to intellectual culture, passing a more than respectable career 

 in the University of Gottingen. Hence his learning and accom- 

 plishments were very considerable ; and what might be deficient in 

 profundity was compensated by strong perceptive faculties. He was 

 of independent opinions, and unwearied in his advocacy of civil and 

 religious liberty. For nearly half a century he was the persevering 

 and zealous patron of every really charitable institution, every use- 

 ful scheme, and every benevolent project. When the late Mr. Da- 

 vidson left our shores for the dangers of a journey to Timbuctoo, 

 " Bring this gentleman safely home again," said the Duke to Abou 

 Bekr, the Negro companion, " and you shall have an asylum in this 

 palace for the rest of your life." 



As President of the Society of Arts, he was remarkable for the 

 suavity and appropriate addresses with which he distributed the 

 adjudicated prizes ; and his eight years' presidency of the Royal 

 Society was conducted with such general satisfaction, that his re- 

 signation was received with unfeigned regret. His extensive ac- 

 quaintance with scientific and literary men, native and foreign, ma- 

 nifested a decided natural taste for their pursuits, and a just appre- 

 ciation of their value. In his intercourse with the Fellows, he was 

 kind and attentive without ostentation, and affable without conde- 

 scension. 



Although his means were by no means commensurate with his 

 high station, his Royal Highness collected a splendid library, rich in 



