Royal Society, ^\$ 



glish have been in physiology, (and the most eminent of physiolo- 

 gists, Harvey, was an Englishman,) they have been behind the Ger- 

 mans and the Italians in anatomy. The discovery which Mr. Kier- 

 nan has made, exceeds in originality, and in importance is scarcely 

 inferior to, any single anatomical discovery on record. Its originality 

 consists in this j it may be estimated from the circumstance that 

 nothing which had been previously done on this subject affords a clue 

 to what he has found; and the difficulty of the inquiry may be under- 

 stood from this ; that although many had undertaken it, all had pre- 

 viously failed. The importance of the facts displayed may be gathered 

 from the consideration, that they greatly elucidate the morbid 

 anatomy of the liver, — a part of the human frame, which is remark- 

 able for the frequency and variety of its diseases, and at the same 

 time for the facility with which it may be influenced by remedial 

 agents. 



The Royal Medal for the present year, whicK the Council had pro- 

 posed to give to the most important paper in Astronomy communi- 

 cated to the Royal Society within the last three years, is awarded to 

 Sir John Frederick William Herschel, for his Catalogue of Nebulae 

 and Clusters of Stars, published in the Philosophical Transactions for 

 1833. 



In delivering this Medal His Royal Highness addressed the 

 Society as follows : — 



This, Gentlemen, is the second time that a Royal Medal has been 

 adjudged to Sir John Herschel, for researches in a department of 

 Astronomy which has descended to him as an hereditary possession ; 

 and I believe I may venture to say, that in no case has a noble inhe- 

 ritance been more carefully cultivated or more enriched by new 

 acquisitions. The catalogue for which the Royal Medal is now given, 

 contains a list of 2500 nebulae and clusters of stars, the same number 

 which had been observed and catalogued by his father, though only 

 2000 of them are common to both catalogues; the right ascensions 

 and declinations of all these objects are determined; the general cha- 

 racter of their appearance recorded ; and all those wliich present any 

 very extraordinary character, shape, or constitution, of which there 

 are nearly 100, are drawn with a delicacy and precision which is 

 worthy of an accomplished artist. It presents a record of those 

 objects so interesting as forming the basis of our speculations on the 

 physical constitution of the heavens which are observable in this 

 hemisphere, which is sufficiently perfect to become a standard of 

 reference for all future observers, and which will furnish the means 

 of ascertaining the changes, whether periodical or not, which many of 

 them are probably destined to undergo. 1 trust, Gentlemen, that a 

 long time will not elapse before we shall be enabled to welcome the 

 return of Sir John Herschel to this country, with materials for a 

 catalogue of the nebulae of the southern hemisphere as perfect and 

 as comprehensive as that which we are this day called upon to signa- 

 lize with the highest mark of approbation which it is in our power to 

 bestow. He will then have fixed the monuments of an imperishable 

 fame in every region of the heavens. 



