201 
you are all of you aware that we owe our power of recognising dis- 
tinguished talent to the enlightened bounty of one of our earliest 
benefactors, who left to the Academy a sum of money, signifying 
his wish that its interest should be applied to the advancement of 
physical and zoological science, but leaving us a wide permis- 
sion to extend it to any of the objects connected with our pursuits. 
For a long time it was supposed that we were restricted to the ne- 
cessity of awarding this Medal annually to the best of the essays 
that might be presented to the Academy on a question proposed by 
it; a course open to the disadvantage of making it a test of com- 
parative rather than intrinsic excellence, and of placing it in a lower 
degree of estimation than that which ought to attach to the decisions 
of a Society like this. Impressed by a conviction of this kind, and 
by other equivalent motives, the Academy came, a few years since, 
to the—as I think—wise resolution of construing the intention of 
the donor in a far wider and more liberal manner; not restricting it, 
as before, to one communication, or one year, but spreading its 
limits still more widely, so as to include even communications which 
were not published in our Transactions. In fact, if a man brings 
light into any dark recess of the intellectual world, we are disposed 
to honour him, even though he has not thought fit to name us its 
dispensers. We acted on this principle in its fullest extent when, on a 
former occasion, we conferred this Medal on Mr.O’ Donovan for works 
not given by us to the world, and one of which could not have been 
published in its Transactions ; but I believe we acted both well and 
wisely on that occasion, for that gentleman has, by his works, af- 
forded to all who take an interest in the study of the ancient lan- 
guage, history, and antiquities of our island, aid such as none other 
could have afforded; and, in fact, in this particular department of 
literature, he shines out conspicuously among his predecessors. At 
the same time, it must ever be borne in mind, that this case is an 
extreme one ; and, although the Council acted wisely, and in accord- 
ance with the legal construction of Mr. Cunningham’s bequest, and, 
as I think, in full accordance with its spirit and his intention, still 
I need not point out to you that such a case must always be regarded 
as exceptional, and must never be established as a precedent, ex- 
cept on grounds which are able to meet the fullest examination, and 
2 
Q 
