64' Ttoyal Society. 



whether systems did not exist among the fixed stars bearing rela- 

 tion to the planetary world, and demonstrative of the laws of 

 gravity. These researches, pursued for many years by Sir William 

 Herschel, were after his death continued by his son, Mr. Herschel, 

 and Mr. South, with an instrument adapted for the purpose by 

 Mr. Troughton. The combined observations, according to Mr. South, 

 establish several important points — such as occultations of fixed 

 stars by each other, proper motions of fixed stars, and revolving 

 systems, in which two stars perform to each other the office of sun 

 ajid planet, several of them having revolutions which may be 

 assigned from 53 to 1400 years. After giving a pretty extensive 

 account of Mr. Soutli's conclusions, the President said: When the 

 importance of an acquaintance with the position of the fixed stars 

 in the heavens is considered, on the accurate knowledge of which 

 all our data in refined astronomy, and many of those in practical 

 navigation depend; and when the new and sublime views of the 

 arrangements of Infinite Wisdom, in the starry heavens, resulting 

 from these inquiries, are considered, the Society will, I am sure, 

 approve of this vote of the council. Mr. South procured his in- 

 struments at a great expense, and employed them at home, and 

 carried them abroad, trusting entirely to his own resources. He 

 has pursued his favourite science in the most disinterested and 

 liberal manner, and has communicated all his results to this Society. 

 There is another reason which may almost be considered as per- 

 sonal. Whoever has seen the methods in which observations of 

 this kind are conducted, must be aware of the extreme fatigue con- 

 nected with them — of the watchful and sleepless nights that must 

 be devoted to them — of the delicacy of manipulation they require 

 — and of the sacrifices of ease and comfort they demand. 



In presenting the medal to Mr. South, the President referred to 

 it as the oldest mark of distinction which the Society had to 

 offer, and which was more valuable from the illustrious names to 

 which it had done honour, and the great and extraordinary ad- 

 vances in natural knowledge with which it had been connected. 

 Receive it, he said (to use a metaphor taken from the Olympic 

 games), as the honorary olive crown of this Society; and may it 

 be a stimulus to induce you to pursue and persevere in these highly 

 interesting astronomical researches, and to steadily apply your 

 undivided attention to them, secure that posterity will confirm their 

 utility, and that the glory resulting from them will be exalted by 

 time. 



The Society then proceeded to the election of the council and 

 officers, when on examination, the following was found to be the 

 state of the lists. Eleven members of .the old council to remain 

 members of the new council : — 



Sir Humphry Davy, Bart. Pres.; John Barrow, Esq.; The Lord 

 Bishop of Carlisle; D. Gilbert, Esq. V.P. Treasurer; John F. W. 

 Herschel, Esq. M.A. Secretary; Sir Everard Home, Bart. V.P.; 

 Captain Henry Kater ; John Pond, Esq. A.R. ; James South, Esq. ; 

 W. Hyde WoUaston, M.D. V.P. ; T. Young, M.D. Foreign Se- 

 cretary. 



The 



