66 Proceedings of Philosophical Societies. [Jan. 



The notions of Ptolemy concerning Cycles, and Epicycles and 

 the moving spheres of the heavens, were then current; the obser- 

 vatories were devoted rather to the purposes of judicial astrology 

 than to the philosophy of the heavenly bodies ; to objects of 

 superstition rather than of science. 



If it were necessary to fix upon the strongest characteristic 

 of the superiority of modern over ancient times, I know not 

 whether the changes in the art of war from the application of 

 gunpowder, or in hterary resources from the press, or even that 

 wonderful power created by the steam-engine, could be chosen 

 with so much propriety as the improved state of astronomy. 



Even the Athenians, the most enlightened people of antiquity, 

 condemned a philosopher to death for denying the divinity of 

 the Sun ; and as to the other great nations, cotemporary with 

 the Athenians, it will be sufficient merely to mention their ido- 

 latry, or utter ignorance with regard to the laws or motions of 

 the heavenly bodies. 



Take the most transient and the simplest view of the science 

 as it now exists, and what a noble subject for exultation ! Not 

 only the masses and distances of the sun, the planets and their 

 satelUtes, are now known, but even the weights of bodies upon 

 their surfaces ascertained, and all their motions, appearances, 

 and changes, predicted with the utmost certainty for years to 

 come, and even carried back through past ages, to correct the 

 chronology, and fix the epochas in the history of ancient 

 nations. Attempts have even been made to measure the almost 

 inconceivable distances of the stars, and with this, v>'hat sublime 

 practical and moral results ! The pathless ocean navigated, and 

 in wihnoum seas, tlie exact point of distance from known lands 

 ascertained. All vague and superstitious notions banished 

 from the mind, which, trusting to its own powers and analogies, 

 sees an immutable and eternal order in the whole of the universe, 

 intended after the designs of the most perfect beneficence, to 

 promote the happiness of millions of living beings, and where 

 the whole of created nature ofl'ers its testimony of the existence 

 of a Divine and Supreme Intelligence ! 



The President then delivered the medal to Mr. Baily, to be 

 transmitted to Dr. Brinkley, begging him to assure that gentle- 

 man of the respect and admiration of the Royal Society, who 

 receive his communications, presiding, as he does, over another 

 kindred scientific body, not merely with pleasure, but with gra- 

 titude, and who trust that he will continue them both for the 

 advancement of astronomy, and for the increase of his own high 

 reputation. 



The Society then proceeded to choose their Council and 

 Officers for the ensuing year ; and the following were declared 

 duly elected : 



Uf the Old Council. — Sir Humphry Davy, Bart. ; W, T. 



