Royal Society. 45 I 



The President took an extensive view of tlie different dcpart- 

 nientb of science which seemed to offer promising subjects of new 

 investijiatioii. In the Mathematical sciences he pointed at the 

 application of the doctrines of quantitv, weight, and number; to 

 the elementary philosophy of chemistry ; and to many other 

 parts of general physics. 



In Astronom}, he referred to the system of the fixed stars, the 

 motions of the comets, and of the l)odies which in passing ihrongh 

 our atmosphere throw down showers of stones; for it camiot 

 be doubted (lie said) that these extraordinary phenomena do 

 not depend upon fortnitous or accidental formations in the at- 

 mosphere ; but are owing to heavy bodies which in a system 

 where all appears harmonious must be governed by fixed laws 

 and intended for definite purposes. 



In OjJtics, he mentioned the discoveries of Wollaston and Young, 

 which, followed by those of Malus, Arago, Biot, and Brewster, 

 liave opened a curious connexion between the crystalline forms 

 of bodies and their relations to the particles of light. 



In Electricity, the learned President alluded to the wonder- 

 ful instrument of Volta, which he said had done more for the 

 recondite chemico-physical sciences than the telescope for astro- 

 nomy, or the microscope for natural history. He referred to 

 the new field opened by the discoveries of Ersted, which pro- 

 mised to connect so intimately magnetism and electricity, and to 

 solve the grand problem of the magnetic phsenomena of the earth. 



In speaking of the figure of the earth, the President took 

 notice of Ca|)t. Kater's experiments with the pendulum, and ex- 

 pressed a hope that his ingenious contrivance would be applied 

 to determine the physical constitution of the surface. On this 

 point he said, that he hoped there might be a «o-operation with 

 the members of the French Royal Academy of Sciences in com- 

 pleting the measurement of 20 degrees of an arc of the meri- 

 dian ; on which these able philosophers had laboured with so 

 much zeal and address. He referred in this part of his discourse 

 to the expedition to the polar regions, which he designated as 

 equally honourable to those by whom the expedition was planned, 

 and to the brave and enterprising navigators by whom it was 

 execi'.ted. Such expeditions (said the President) are worthy 

 the great maritime nation of the world, as applying her re- 

 sources not for empire alone, but for the advancement of science 

 and benefits common to all coimtries, — thus ci eating a pniir 

 species of glory than that ilependcnt upon power or c()n(|Ufst. 



In speaking of Chemistry, he mentioned various interesting 

 objects of research, and congratulated the Society on the pro- 

 gress made iu the theory of definite proporti<ins since it was first 

 brought forward j;i a definite form by Mr. Dalton. 



3 Li 1« 



