246 PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY 



and disadvantages under which Mr. Clark has struggled on, — without 

 early scientific training, without access to any of the gathered experi- 

 ence which is handed down in optical workshops, without having seen 

 before any, even the commonest, process which he had to execute, with 

 little means of knowing what had already been done, much less how 

 it had been done, without even encouragement until after success 

 achieved made encouragement superfluous, earning by daily toil in one 

 fine art the means and opportunity of developing his genius in an equal- 

 ly refined and to us more important one, — we must allow that where 

 moderate success were highly praiseworthy, the exquisite and unprece- 

 dented results which our associate has reached are worthy of double 

 honor. ' 



Nor could the Academy in its award take cognizance of the well- 

 known fact that Mr. Clark's skill and success, not to say genius, in 

 using his telescope are rivalled only by that displayed in perfecting it. 

 Yet this might fairly have been introduced as testimony. For the 

 prompt and brilliant discovery of the before invisible companion of 

 Sirius, and the detection of more than a score of new double stars in 

 the quarter of the heavens which had been most diligently searched for 

 them, especially that most delicate of observations in discovering the 

 companion of v Herculis, having been made by our associate with his 

 own glasses, and mostly in testing their power, — these should be re- 

 •ceived as direct witnesses to the importance of his inventions, showing, 

 as an experienced astronomer has remarked, " that objects of great dif- 

 ficulty and delicacy may be detected with veri/ perfect telescopes of 

 smaller size, which have escaped the most diligent scrutiny with far 

 larger instruments " ; showing also, perhaps, as the same astronomer 

 suggests, in reference to stars which, after withstanding the Pulkova 

 fifteen-inch refractor, Mr. Clark proved to be double with his object- 

 glass of only half that diameter, " that his eye as well as h'is telescope 

 must possess an exti-aordinary power of definition." 



It is a satisfaction to know that, in an art where genius is so rare, it is 

 sometimes hereditary ; that, in this instance, the sons are the compeers 

 of the father ; so that, where much has already been secured, still more 

 may be expected. So that now, as the Academy consigns these medals 

 to your hands, Mr. Clark, it gives with them not only the heartiest con- 

 gratulations, but also the wish and hope of your assembled associates 

 that you may long enjoy the honors you have worthily won ; that you 

 may add to tliem many other triumphs of skill ; that you and your 



