Royal Society. 137 
join our Society.. At this I heartily rejoice, as I believe it to be a 
happy.omen for mankind when those who are placed in exalted 
situations show their sympathy with scientific pursuits. I congra- 
tulate the Prussian nation, that her sovereign has taken so early an 
opportunity of countenancing science, and of declaring his opinion 
that the natural philosopher is a friend to good government, to 
order, and to civilization. 
The pleasure experienced by you on this occasion was enhanced 
by the presence within these walls of Baron Humboldt, who ac- 
companied his Majesty. It is very seldom that we can expect to 
see among us any of our Foreign Associates. It was therefore doubly 
gratifying to receive, together with his sovereign, the distinguished 
philosopher who had travelled over so large a portion of the globe 
in the pursuit of every branch of knowledge. 
Since I last addressed you, two years ago, a great degree of suc- 
cess has attended the expedition of Captain Ross to the Antarctic 
Region. I congratulate you, Gentlemen, on the results already de- 
rived from an expedition which originated in a joint application to 
Government from your Council and the British Association. I re- 
joice that a British officer has had the honour, not only of making 
most important scientific researches, but also of approaching much 
nearer to the Southern Pole than any one had done before him, and 
of discovering a new Iceland and a new Hecla, more gigantic than 
the arctic volcano. 
With respect to the magnetic observatories, I have the gratifica- 
tion of informing you that they are to be continued for three more 
years, in hopes of making the information to be obtained from them 
more extensive and more accurate. ‘The consent to this continu- 
ance was granted by Sir Robert Peel: a continuance of the scien- 
tific measure of one minister by the statesman who had superseded 
and succeeded him. This is a gratifying circumstance, as proving 
that, as we hope and believe that British patriotism belongs to all 
parties, so the love of science also belongs to all, or rather that in 
scientific pursuits there is no party feeling and no party jealousy. 
I must add, that on the present occasion, the application of the 
Council of the Royal Society was seconded by M. Brunow, the am- 
bassador of the Emperor of Russia; thus showing that nations are 
ready to testify that any great acquisition of physical knowledge is 
a common object to the whole human race. 
The hopes that the Expedition to the Niger might be productive 
of important additions to our stores of science, as well as great re- 
sults to the highest interests of humanity, have been unhappily in a 
great measure disappointed. At the same time the hopes of the 
scientific naturalist have not been entirely vain, for I am informed 
by Mr. Gray that many new species of birds and other animals have 
been brought to England from Fernando Po and the mouth of the 
Niger. 
Your Council, Gentlemen, have taken into their consideration the 
great importance that microscopical researches have always pos- 
sessed, and the still greater influence upon science that they are 
