458 Proceedings of Philosophical Societies. [June, 



and those made by Sir William Herschel and afterwards by 

 Messrs. Herschel and South (although with very different in- 

 struments and micrometers), confirms the general accuracy of 

 the observations, and marks the degree of confidence that may 

 be placed in measurements of this kind. Some slight discre- 

 pancies have indeed been observed on a comparison of the total 

 results, and some singular anomalies have presented themselves : 

 but these, so far from invalidating their accuracy, tend to give 

 them greater confirmation, and may probably, at some future 

 period, lead to the detection of some hidden law which regu- 

 lates the motions of these remarkable bodies. 



It is for these important observations and discoveries, and 

 for the great zeal and talent displayed by these distinguished 

 astronomers, in the pursuit of this interesting subject, that 

 your Council has resolved to bestow on each of them the Gold 

 Medal of the Society : and which I have now the honor of 

 doing. 



[The President, then addressing Mr. Herschel, said :] " In 

 the name of the Astronomical Society of London, I present to 

 you this Medal. You will accept it. Sir, as a mark of the deep 

 interest which this Society takes in the object of your labors. 

 Be assured that we are pleased to see (from the Paper pre- 

 sented to us this evening) that the subject still occupies your 

 attention, and that it is likely to be pursued with so much 

 energy and zeal, by one who can so fully appreciate the im» 

 portance of such inquiries, and who is so competent to conduct 

 investigations of this kind. We trust that you will have health 

 and strength to pursue the path which you have thus com- 

 menced with so much honor to yourself, and so much benefit 

 to science. Inheriting, as you do, those rare and exalted 

 talents which distinguished your venerable and honored father, 

 and aided by the resources of your own powerful and enhght- 

 ened mind, you have already opened another and very interest- 

 ing field of inquiry and research in this particular branch of 

 astronomy, by proposing a >iew method of applying such observa- 

 tions to the investigation of the parallax of the fxed stars : a 

 subject which cannot be fully appreciated till after the lapse of 

 many years, and which we hops will not be lost sight of by 

 those who are engaged in investigations of this kind. The 

 name of Herschel, doubly connected as it thus is, with the 

 history of astronomy, can perish only with all records of the 

 science. The splendid example of the father has been emu- 

 lated by the son : and you have the proud and enviable satis- 

 faction of knowing that you will share the glory of his immortal 

 name." 



[The President next presented the Medal to Mr, South in a 

 similar manner, and said :] " In presenting you with this Medal, 

 Sir, I can only repeat the sentiments which I have just deli- 



