COUNT RUMFORD. 125 



In 1796 he founded the historic medal which bears 

 his name. On the 12th of July of that year he wrote 

 thus to Sir Joseph Banks, then President of the Eoyal 

 Society : " I take the liberty to request that the Eoyal 

 Society would do me the honour to accept of 1,OOOZ. 

 stock in the Funds of this country, which I have actu- 

 ally purchased, and which I beg leave to transfer to the 

 President, Council, and Fellows of the Royal Society, 

 to the end that the interest of the same may be by them, 

 and by their successors, received from time to time for 

 ever, and the amount of the same applied and given 

 once every second year, as a premium to the author of 

 the most important discovery or useful improvement 

 which shall be made, or published by printing, or in any 

 way made known to the public, in any part of Europe, 

 during the preceding two years, on Heat or Light." 



He adds in a subsequent letter, as further defining 

 his wishes, that the premium should be limited to new 

 discoveries tending to improve theories of Fire, of Heat, 

 of Light, and of Colours, and to new inventions and 

 contrivances by which the generation, and preservation, 

 and management of heat and of light may be facilitated. 

 The device and inscriptions on the medal were deter- 

 mined by a committee. It was resolved "that the 

 diameter of the medal do not exceed three inches, and 

 that Mr. Milton be employed in sinking the dies of 

 the said medal." Two medals are always given, one of 

 gold, the other of silver, and a sum of about seventy 

 pounds usually accompanies the medals. Eumford him- 

 self was the first recipient of the medal. The second 

 was given to Sir John Leslie, the founder's celebrated 

 rival in the domain of radiant heat. On the same date 

 Eumford presented to the American Academy of Arts 

 and Sciences the same sum for the promotion of the 

 same object. In fact, the letters to Sir Joseph Banks 



