THE TRUSTS OF THE SOCIETY 175 



was that instead of the annual experiment, ' a medal or other honorary prize 

 should be bestowed on the person whose experiment should be best approved, 

 by which means he apprehended a laudable emulation might be excited among 

 men of genius to try their invention, who, in all probability, may never be 

 moved for the sake of lucre. 1 Eventually, in 1736, it was resolved that 

 a medal of the value of 5, to bear the arms of the Society, should be 

 awarded to the author of the most important scientific discovery or contribu- 

 tion to science by experiment or otherwise. The weight of the medal was 

 fixed at 1 oz. 2 dwts. of fine gold. In 1831 it was resolved that the Copley 

 Medal shall be awarded to the living author of such philosophical research, 

 either published or communicated to the Society, as may appear to the 

 Council to be deserving of that honour. The particulars of the subject of 

 the research are to be specified in the award, and there is to be no limitation 

 as to the period when the research was made, or the country to which the 

 author may belong. 



Owing to the payments for the lecture and the medal being somewhat less 

 than the dividends received, a balance gradually accumulated in favour of the 

 fund, amounting to over ^100. In the year 1881, Sir Joseph Copley, Bart., 

 transferred to the Society a sum of of?!, 666 13*. 4d. 3 per cent. Consols, 

 * to provide in perpetuity a yearly bonus of .^oO, to be given to the recipient 

 of the Copley Medal.' So long as the interest was at 3 per cent., the income 

 of 50 was produced, but now that it is reduced to 2^ per cent., it is 

 insufficient for the gift of a larger sum. While there was a balance in hand 

 in favour of the fund, the Council thought well to fulfil Sir Joseph Copley's 

 liberal intention. This balance has now, however, been exhausted, and the 

 amount of the gift, after providing for the cost of the medal, is about 4>Q. 



The list of the recipients of this and the other medals in the gift of 

 the Royal Society will be found in Chapter VII. 



No. 2. THE BRADY LIBRARY FUND. 



The late Mr. Henry Bowman Brady, F.R.S., bequeathed to the Society in 

 1891 all his books and papers relating to the Protozoa, and also a sum of 

 300, the interest of which, or the principal, or both, are from time to time 

 to be applied in the purchase of works on the same or kindred subjects to 

 be added to the collection. The fund now consists of ,^330 2^ per cent. 

 Consolidated Stock. 



No. 3. THE BUCHANAN MEDAL FUND. 



This fund dates from February, 1894, when a sum of .276 12*. and the 

 dies for a medal were offered to the Society by the Committee of the fund 

 raised in honour of Sir George Buchanan, F.R.S., a distinguished physician, 

 who died in 1895. The amount has been invested in the purchase of 



