1823.] Royal Society. 63 



retained, under all circumstances, the native simplicity of his 

 mind. His amiable character and the felicity of his life were 

 dwelt on at some length. He died full of years and of honours ; 

 and, when unable to labour himself, saw a kindred disposition 

 and kindred talents displayed by his son. In conclusion, — his 

 mental powers seemed to have acquired such a degree of expan- 

 sion here, as to have become incapable of further elevation or 

 extension but in a higher stage of existence. 



Sir Humphry then expressedhis regret at the premature death of 

 Dr. Marcet, whom he characterized as an ingenious and accurate 

 chemist — a learned physician — a liberal, enlightened, and most 

 amiable man. 



Appropriate characters were likewise given of Mr. Vince, Dr. 

 Parry, and Sir Christopher Pegge. 



In eulogising the foreign members, the name of Haiiy was 

 spoken of as one that would always be remembered in the his- 

 tory of mineralogy, in consequence of his having established 

 what may be considered as a mathematical character in discri- 

 minating mineral species. Delambre, the learned Secretary of the 

 Royal Academy of Sciences of Paris, was mentioned with great 

 praise as an excellent astronomer, and candid and liberal histo- 

 rian of his own science ; and an able observer, whose name will 

 be for ever associated with the first very accurate measurement 

 of an arc of the meridian in France. M. Berthollet was called 

 by Sir Humphry the patriarch of modern chemistry. He dwelt 

 on his discoveries and labours at some length ; and paid a just 

 tribute to the candour and liberality of his mind— to his warm 

 and zealous patronage of rising genius, and to his quiet, and 

 amiable social virtues. 



The President next read the list of members admitted into the 

 Society since the last anniversary, among whom were Mr. Dal- 

 ton, of Manchester ; Dr. Kidd, of Oxford ; Mr. James Thomson; 

 and Mr. Rennie. 



He then proceeded to state the decision of the Council respect- 

 ing the award of the medal on Sir Godfrey Copley's donation, 

 which, he announced, had been adjudged this year to the Rev. 

 W. Buckland, Professor of Mineralogy and Geology in the 

 University of Oxford, for his paper, on the Fossil Bones and 

 Teeth discovered in a Cave near Kirkdale, in Yorkshire, printed 

 in the Society's Transactions. 



Prior to delivering the medal to Prof. Buckland, as the present 

 was the first time that a paper on a subject of pure geological 

 research had been honoured by this mark of distinction, Sir H. 

 Davy gave, in an eloquent discourse, a concise view of the his- 

 tory and importance of geological pursuits in general, as well as 

 of the interest and value of Mr. Buckland's recent labours in 

 particular. Of this discourse, we are happy to present a con- 

 densed epitome. 



While the phenomena of the distant stars and other objects 



