176 



in the Philosophical Transactions, " On Curves of the Third Order." 

 The memoirs on Qualities in the ' Philosophical Transactions ' 

 (forming a series not as yet completed) comprise a reproduction of 

 the theory of covariants, and exhibit the author's views on the 

 general subject. Mr. Cayley has written also a Report on the 

 recent progress of theoretical Dynamics, published in the * Reports 

 of the British Association' for 1857. 



MR. CAYLEY, 



In the name of the Royal Society of London, I request your 

 acceptance of this Royal Medal, in testimony of the strong sense 

 which they entertain of the value of your labours, and of the 

 satisfaction which it affords them that so eminent a mathematician 

 as yourself should be included in the list of their Fellows. 



The other Royal Medal has been awarded to Mr. George Ben- 

 tham, F.L.S., for his important contributions to the advancement of 

 Systematic and Descriptive Botany. 



The remarkable accuracy which distinguishes all Mr. Bentham's 

 scientific researches, the logical precision that characterizes his 

 writings, and the sound generalizations which his systematic works ex- 

 hibit may be in a great measure traced to the influence of his uncle, 

 the late celebrated legal theorist Jeremy Bentham, who directed 

 much of his early studies, and under whose auspices he published 

 one of his earliest works, * Outlines of a New System of Logic.' 

 His mind was further imbued in youth with a love of Natural History, 

 and especially Botany ; and this taste was cultivated and nourished 

 by a study of the works of the elder DeCandolle. 



Fortunately for the cause of Botany in England, Mr. Bentham has 

 devoted himself almost exclusively to that science; and to his excel- 

 lent powers of observation, close reasoning, concise writing, and in- 

 defatigable perseverance our country owes the distinction of ranking 

 amongst its Naturalists one so preeminent for his valuable labours 

 in Systematic Botany. 



Amongst Mr. Bentham's numerous writings, those hold the first 

 rank which are devoted to the three great natural orders, Leguminosse, 

 Labiatse, and Scrophulariaceee. These orders demanded a vast amount 

 of analytic study ; for they are amongst the largest and most widely 



