116 Transactions of the KiraUSr^'^S! 



hands of the respective secretaries, and my own copy is complete 

 from 1751 to the present year 1870.* There is also an Index, 

 both of authors and subjects, from the commencement to 1770, 

 with references to the ' Transactions at large ' and to the ' Abridg- 

 ment;' and to complete our means of reference, not only to the 

 ' Transactions,' but to many other philosophical works, both Eng- 

 lish and foreign, published during the present century, the Eoyal 

 Society has generously added to our Library its ' Catalogue of 

 Scientific Papers ' now in course of publication. 



I wish also to present to you my copy of the ' History of the 

 Eoyal Society,' by Dr. Sprat. This learned Bishop of Kochester 

 informs us in his preface that, owing to the objections and cavils 

 of detractors, he writes not altogether in the way of a plain 

 history, but sometimes of an apologtj ; and it may be said of the 

 Bishop, in the language of an author of the period, — " Taking to 

 task that insulting question, What have they done? he gives 

 an answer to it, which doubtless will satisfy discreet and sober 

 men. And as for those that would have them give the Great 

 Elixir, the Perpetual Motion, the way to make Glass Malleable, 

 and Man Immortal, &c., or they will object they have done nothing; 

 lor such, he saith, their impertinent taunts are no more to be 

 regarded than the chat of idiots and children." 



But the Bishop had not only to meet detractors like these ; he 

 had also to vindicate the design of the Boyal Society from the im- 

 putation of being prejudicial to the Church of England. And he 

 finds it easy to point out the agreement there is between the design 

 of the Eoyal Society and that of our Church in its beginning, 

 " They both," says his Lordship, " may lay equal claim to the word 

 Beformation ; the one having compassed it in Religion, the other 

 purposing it in Philosophy." And how this purpose has been 

 carried out we ourselves are witnesses. Many reverent and master- 

 minds, from Newton to the present day, have received in their study 

 of the Book of Nature an illumination from the Great Author of 

 Nature no less specific and manifest than that divine iUumination 

 which enabled Prophets and Apostles to indite the Book of Eevela- 

 tion. Hence, an enlightened philosopher can now point out, in 

 terms unknown to the Early Church, How " the heavens declare the 

 glory of God, and the firmament showeth His handy work," — while, 

 under an unerring inspiration, it is announced to us that " the law 

 of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul." 



I almost shrink from giving any historical account of the many 

 portions of the ' Transactions,' specially interesting to ourselves, as 

 I would rather avoid the Scylla of a mere index of authors, and the 

 Charyhdis of a too extended account of their works. Suffice it to 

 say that our lamented President, Professor Quekett, has given us, 

 * A few parts now in the HnAo of borrowed boolcs will be replaced. 



