OBITUARY NOTICES OF FELLOWS DECEASED. 



ROBERT GKANT was born at Gran town, in Strathspey, on June 17, 

 1814, and received his early education at a school established by the 

 Earl of SeafieH, which provided, f.or the children of the district, in- 

 struction in those branches of education which are required to enter 

 the Scottish Universities. But at the age of 13 his studies were 

 interrupted by a serious illness ; and it was not until the completion 

 of his 19th year that his health was sufficiently restored to enable 

 him to continue his studies with success. After a course of private 

 study, Grant entered King's College, Aberdeen, but before the 

 completion of the University course he removed to London and 

 became engaged in business pursuits under his brother. At this 

 time, Grant commenced to collect materials for a history of physical 

 astronomy, and in 1845, in order to obtain access to further sources 

 of information, he removed to Paris, where he supported himself by 

 teaching English. In Paris, Grant had the great advantages of 

 attending the astronomical lectures of Arago and Le Verrier, and 

 the use of the books in the library of the Institute, of which he 

 availed himself in the collection of the materials for his history. 



Grant returned to London in 1847, and devoted himself to the 

 preparation of his History of Physical Astronomy. This work was 

 first published in parts in ' The Library of Useful Knowledge : ' the 

 first part appeared in September, 1848, and, although the author was 

 previously unknown to most of the leading English astronomers, it 

 immediately attracted attention, and led to Mr. Grant being elected a 

 Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. The history was pub- 

 lished in a separate form in March, 1852 ; and in the following Novem- 

 ber Grant was elected a member of the Council of the Royal Astro- 

 nomical Society, and was appointed editor of ' The Monthly Notices ; ' 

 and in 1856 the Gold Medal of the Society was awarded to him for 

 his work. Grant's History of Physical Astronomy had certainly no 

 rival in the English language at the time of its publication ; it can 

 still be consulted with gyeat advantage upon any of the points with 

 which it treats, and its impartiality is unquestionable. 



In November, 1859, Grant was appointed Regius Professor of 

 Astronomy and Director of the Observatory in the University of 



VOL. LVII. o 



