350 Mary Somerville. 



entirely unknown country, except part of the coast. 

 Now telegrams have been sent and answers received 

 in the course of a few hours, from our countrymen 

 throughout that mighty empire, and even from 

 New Zealand, round half the globe. The inhabitants , 

 of the United States are our offspring ; so whatever 

 may happen to Great Britain in the course of events, 

 it still will have the honour of colonizing, and con- 

 sequently civilizing, half the world. 



In all recent geographical discoveries, our Royal 

 Geographical Society has borne the most important 

 part, and none of its members have done more than 

 my highly-gifted friend the President, Sir Roderick 

 Murchison, geologist of Russia, and founder and 

 author of the colossal " Silurian System " To the 

 affection of this friend, sanctioned by the unanimous 

 approval of the council of that illustrious Society, I 

 owe the honour of being awarded the Victoria Medal 

 for my " Physical Geography." An honour so un- 

 expected, and so far beyond my merit, surprised and 

 affected me more deeply than I can find words to 

 express. 



In the events of my life it may be seen how 

 much I have been honoured by the scientific 

 societies and universities of Italy, many of whom 

 have elected me an honorary member or associate ; 

 but the greatest honour I have received in Italy has 



