Award of the Wollaston Medal to Prof. Ehrenheig. 375 



return thanks, not only in my name, but also in that of Baron Bu- 

 low, as the representative of Prussia in this country, who is prevented 

 by official business from being present on this occasion. 



Nobody can be more able or inclined to appreciate duly the value 

 of this distinction than Professor Ehrenberg. I know from himself 

 that it was by England in particular that he wished his researches 

 to be examined and apiproved ; and it was especially by this illustrious 

 Society, so worthily presided over by one whose name is also in Ger- 

 many equally dear to the friends of religion and moral philosophy, 

 and to the followers of the exact sciences : it was to this Society, I 

 sa}', to whose tribunal he was desirous to submit the judgement of 

 the merits and importance of his discovery. Indeed, the honour 

 3'ou have decreed him to-day is only the public confirmation and so- 

 lemn badge of that kind and encouraging interest which he met with 

 from the members of this Society, and for which he felt the most 

 sincere gratitude. 



But this feeling, Sir, will not be confined to himself : the honour 

 of the prize awarded to him this day amongst so many illustrious 

 competitors of aU nations, will be deeply felt by the whole literary 

 public of Germany : it will, I trust, form a new link in that intel- 

 lectual union between the two great and enlightened nations, which 

 have so many ties of common interest, and so many objects of warm 

 and deep sympathy ; an union which must become every day more 

 and more intimate, and prove productive of the most beneficial con- 

 sequences, not only for the progress of science in the whole range 

 of human intellect, but for the welfare of humanity at large. 



The flattering manner in which you have been pleased to allude 

 to myself obliges me to say a few words on my own behalf. I feel 

 only too much how entirely I must attribute those expressions to 

 the kindness that inspired them, knowing how inadequate my own 

 merits are to deserve them. But I rejoice sincerely at having this 

 opportunity offered to me, publicly to express my feelings of grati- 

 tude for the kind and generous reception I have constantly met with 

 in this country, which for so many years and for so many and good 

 reasons, has been the object of my love and of my admiration — feel- 

 ings which will ever remain engraven on my heart, and with a par- 

 ticularly gratifying reference to this day. 



The following gentlemen were elected the Officers and Council 

 for the ensuing year : 



President. — Rev. W. Buckland, D.D., Professor of Geology and 

 Mineralogy in the University of Oxford. Vice-Presidents. — G. B. 

 Greenough, Esq. F.R.S. & L.S. ; Leonard Homer, Esq. F.R.S. 

 L. & E. ; Charles Lyell, jun. Esq. F.R.S. & L.S. ; Rev. Adam Sedg- 

 wick, F.R.S. & L.S., Woodwardian Professor in the University of 

 Camljridge. Secretaries. — Charles Darwin, Esq. F.R.S. ; William 

 John Hamilton, Esq. Foreign Secretary. — H. T. DelaBeche, Esq. 

 F.R.S. iJv: L.S. Treasurer. — John Taylor, Esq. F.R.S. Council. — 

 Professor Daubeny, M.D. F.R.S. & L.S. ; Sir P. Grey Egerton. Bart. 

 M.P. F.R.S.; W. H. Fitton, M.D. F.R.S. & L.S. ; Prof. Grant, 

 M.D. F.R.S.; Rev. Prof. Henslow, F.L.S. ; W. Hopkins, Esq. 



