1917] on Recent Developments of Molecular Physics 87 



cumbersome nineteenth century model to represent the phenomena 

 demanded by the differential equation ; the differential equation will 

 be regarded as determining the changes of the inanimate parts of the 

 universe except under certain conditions, which we speak of as the 

 presence of matter, where the differential equation will yield to an 

 equation of finite differences — the expression of the complete quantum- 

 theory. These speculative reflections may indicate the direction in 

 which a solution of the difficulty may perhaps ultimately be found, 

 but they are very far from supplying this solution. 



[J. H. J.] 



GENERAL MOXTHLY MEETING, 



Monday, April 2, 1917. 

 Charles Hawksley, Esq., Vice-President, in the Chair. 



Murray Stewart 

 was elected a Member. 



The Secretary announced the decease of Professor Jean Gaston 

 Darboux, Sc.D. "(Cantab), Hon. F.R.S. Hon. M.R.L, in February 

 1917 ; and the following Resolution passed hj the Managers at their 

 greeting held this day, was read and unanimously adopted : — 



Resolved, That the Managers of the Eoyal Institution desire to record 

 their sense of the loss sustained by the Institution, and the World of Science, 

 by the decease of Professor Jean Gaston Darboux, Sc.D. (Cantab), Hon. F.R.S. 

 Hon. ^M.R.I., Secretaire Perpetuel de I'Acadeniie des Sciences de Paris, Grand 

 Oificier de la Legion d'Honneur, Palais de I'lnstitut, Paris. He was the 

 author of the following treatises : — " Sur une Classe remarquable des Courbes 

 et des Surfaces Algebriques " ; and " Theorie Generale des Surfaces." His 

 originality and distinction was such that he was honoured by the majority of 

 the great Universities and the principal Scientific Societies of the world. He 

 was awarded the Sylvester ]\Iedal by the Royal Society in the year 1916. 



Resolved, That the Managers desire to express, on behalf of the Members 

 of the Royal Institution, their most sincere sympathy with the family in theiK 

 bereavement. 



