54 Royal Society. 



sary afford me, of expressing to you the grateful sense I entertain 

 of the great honour conferred upon me, by being chosen to fill so 

 distinguished an office, as likewise of tlie uniform kindness and 

 support AA hich I have always received from the Membei's of the 

 Council and the Fellows of the Society generally, in the discharge 

 of its various and important duties. 



A review of my conduct during the period of my Presidency, re- 

 calls to my mind many occasions in wliich I am sensible that I have 

 been more or less wanting in the very responsible trust confided to 

 me, of watching over tlie interests of a Society most justly illustrious 

 by the succession of great men who have been connected Avith it 

 and by the great advances which nearly every department of science 

 has received from those portions of their labours which are recorded 

 in its Transactions ; for some of these deficiencies I am unfortunately 

 enabled to refer to the severe and long continued visitations of dis- 

 ease and infirmity under which I have laboured, as a very sufficient 

 apology ; and I feel less oppressed than I otherwise should have been, 

 by my consciousness of many others, by my knowledge of the ac- 

 tivity and zeal of the very able and efficient officers upon whom the 

 temporary discharge of my duties devolved, and from the assurance 

 which I felt, that the interests of the Society, when entrusted to 

 their care, would suffer no detriment by my absence. 



Though justly proud of the distinction of presiding over the Royal 

 Society, and most anxious to promote, to the utmost of my power, 

 the great objects for which it was founded, I no sooner ascer- 

 tained that circumstances woidd probably, for a time, interfere with 

 my residence in London, during a considerable part of its An- 

 nual Session, and prevent my receiving its INIembers in a manner 

 compatible witli my rank and position in this country, than I deter- 

 mined to retire from an office whose duties I could no longer flatter 

 myself as likely to be able to discharge in a manner answerable to 

 their expectations, or in accordance with. my own feelings. Having 

 come to this conclusion after the most anxious and painful consi- 

 deration, I deemed it due to the Members of the Council, in the first 

 instance, and next to the Fellows, to make it speedily and generally 

 known, with the view of enabling them to look out for a proper per- 

 son to fill a situation of such dignity in the scientific world, and 

 whose occupation could not fail to be an object of honourable am- 

 bition to men of the most eminent social rank, as well as of the most 

 distinguished scientific attainments. 



I will not attempt to disguise from you. Gentlemen, the feelings of 

 deep and poignant regret I experienced upon taking a step that 

 would thus necessarily abridge the opportunities, wliich I liad as 

 much enjoyed as I had highly prized, of being brought officially 

 into frequent and familiar contact with the most distinguished 

 philosophers of my own or other countries, and of employing 

 whatever influence my station in society enabled me to exert in 

 advocating the just claims and interests of men of science, in pro- 

 moting the objects of their labours, in fostering and encouraging 

 their mutual co-operation and intercourse, and iu endeavouring to 



