WILLIAM SMITH. 269 



thousand pounds in the three per cent. Reduced 

 Bank Annuities, in the joint names of himself and 

 the Geological Society, and directed that after his 

 decease, "the society should apply the dividends 

 in promoting researches concerning the mineral 

 structure of the earth, or in rewarding those by 

 whom such researches should hereafter be made ; 

 or in such manner as should appear to the Council 

 of the said society for the time being, conducive 

 to the interests of the society in particular, or the 

 science of geology in general." He afterwards 

 enjoined the society " not to hoard the dividends 

 parsimoniously, but to expend them liberally, and, 

 as far as might be, annually, in furthering the 

 objects of the trust." The first year's income from 

 this fund was appropriated to the acquisition of a die 

 for a medal bearing the head of Dr. Wollaston, and 

 this having been undertaken by Mr. Wyon, the 

 society was prepared in 1831 to fulfil the trust with 

 which they were charged. The council accordingly 

 passed unanimously the following resolutions, Jan. 

 II, 1831:— 



"I. That a medal of fine gold, bearing the im- 

 press of the head of Dr. Wollaston, and not ex- 

 ceeding the value of ten guineas, be procured with 

 the least possible delay. 



" 2. That the first Wollaston medal be given to 

 Mr. William Smith, in consideration of his being a 

 great original discoverer in English geology ; and 

 especially for his having been the first, in this 

 country, to discover and to teach the identification 



