60 Proceedings of Philosophical Societies. £Jan. 



principles ; increasing the perfection of an art which is not only 

 one of the greatest sources of our power, but a bond of union 

 amongst nations, securing their intercourse, and extending the 

 progress of commerce, civihzatinn, and refinement." 



Sir Humphry Davy then turned to Mr. South, who had under- 

 taken to forward the medal to M. Arago, and addressed him in 

 the following words : — " Mr. South: In transmitting this medal 

 to M. Arago, assure him of the interest we take in his ingenious 

 and important researches, and inform him that we wait with 

 impatience for the continuation of his labours on this new and 

 fertile subject. As one of our Fellows, his discoveries have the 

 same interest for us as they have lor his brethren of the Royal 

 Academy of Sciences, which, for more than a century and a 

 half, has gone on encouraging and emulating our labours. You 

 and our worthy Secretary * are an example of recent liberality 

 on their part, and of the respect paid to British talent. We, I 

 trust, shall never be behind them in dignity and nobleness of 

 sentiment; — far be from us that narrow policy which would 

 contract the minds of individuals, and injure the interests of 

 nations by cold and exclusive selfishness, — which would raise 

 the greatness of one people by lowering the standard of that of 

 another. As in commerce, so in science, no one country can 

 become worthily pre-eminent, except in profiting by the wants, 

 resources, and wealth of its neighbours. Every new discovery 

 may be considered as a new species of manufacture, awaking 

 novel industry and sagacity, and employing new capital of 

 mind. When Newton developed the system of the universe, 

 and established his own glory and that of his country on impe- 

 rishable foundations, he might be regarded as giving a boon to 

 the civilized world, for which no adequate compensation could 

 ever be made ; yet, even in this, the most difficult and sublime 

 field of discovery, Britain has been repaid, if not Jullj/ yet 

 jaiily, by the labours of Euler. La Grange, and, above all. 

 La Place, perfecting the theory of the lunar motions and plane- 

 tary perturbations, and affording data of infinite importance in 

 the theory and practice of navisration. Science, like that 

 nature to which it belongs, is neither limited by time nor space ; 

 it belongs to the world, and is of no country, and of no age ; 

 the more we know, the more we feel our ignorance, and how 

 much still remains unknown ; and in philosophy the sentiment 

 of the Macedonian hero can never apply ; there are always new 

 worlds to conquer." 



To Mr. Barlow the President spoke as follows : — "Mr. Barlow : 

 I have great pleasure in presenting you with this medal in the 

 name of the Royal Society. Receive it as the highest mark cf 

 distinction which they have the power to bestow. You have 



♦ Mr, Herscbel. 



