136 Royal Society. 



in determining the relative elements of the orbits which some of them 

 describe round each other, and in forming tables of their motions ; and 

 he has thus demonstrated that the laws of gravitation, which are ex- 

 hibited as it were in miniature in our own planetary system, prevail 

 also in the most distant regions of space : a memorable conclusion, 

 justly entitled, by the generality of its character, to be considered as 

 forming an epoch in the history of astronomy, and presenting one of 

 the most magnificent examples of the simplicity and universality of 

 those fundamental laws of nature by which their Great Author has 

 shown that He is the same to-day and for ever, here and everywhere. 



A discovery like this, which we are this day called upon to com- 

 memorate, forms a noble, but I trust only temporary termination 

 to Sir John Herschel's European labours. He has long contem- 

 plated a voyage to the Cape of Good Hope, as a favourable station 

 for observing the constellations of the Southern Hemisphere, and 

 the magnificent nebulae which it contains ; and when we consider 

 the space-penetrating power of his instruments, such as has never 

 yet been brought to bear upon them ; his skill and long experience 

 and systematic diligence as an observer ; his perfect familiarity with 

 the class of phenomena which are to be observed ; his sagacity in 

 interpreting and disentangling the most complicated appearances ; 

 and his profound knowledge of physical as well as practical astro- 

 nomy, we may look forward to a harvest of discoveries, such as will 

 not only extend the existing boundaries of science, but add to the 

 lustre of a name which is known and reverenced in every region to 

 which European civilization has reached. 



It has been said that distance of place confers the same privileges 

 as distance of time, and I should gladly avail myself of the privilege 

 which is thus afforded me by Sir John Herschel's separation from 

 his country and friends, to express my admiration of his character, 

 in stronger terms than I should otherwise venture to use ; for the 

 language of panegyric, however sincerely it may flow from the heart, 

 might be mistaken for that of flattery, if it could not thus claim 

 somewhat of an historical character : but his great attainments in 

 almost every department of human knowledge, his fine powers as 

 a philosophical writer, his great services and his distinguished de- 

 votion to science, the high principles which have regulated his con- 

 duct in every relation of life, and, above all, his engaging modesty, 

 which is the crown of all his other virtues, presenting such a model 

 of an accomplished philospher, as can rarely be found beyond the 

 regions of fiction, demand abler pens than mine to describe them in 

 adequate terms, however much inclined I might feel to undertake 

 the task. That he may live to accomplish all the objects which have 

 induced him to transport himself to another continent, and that he 

 may long survive his return to witness the respect, reverence and 

 gratitude of his countrymen, is my earnest prayer, in which I am 

 quite sure that you, Gentlemen, will cordially join. 



It now becomes my painful duty to call your attention to the names 

 of those Fellows and Foreign Members whom the Royal Society has 

 lost during the last year. 



Sir John Malcolm was born in the year 1769, a year remarkably 



