54 THE ROYAL INSTITUTION. [CHAP. I. 



Sir Joseph Banks, the President of the Eoyal Society, 

 offering 1,000. stock on the same conditions to the 

 Koyal Society of London. 



Sir Joseph Banks was requested by the council to 

 return their sincere thanks to Count Eumford, and at 

 the same time to inquire c how far improvements or 

 discoveries in optics and chemistry might come under 

 the Count's views.' 



Count Eumford wrote to Sir Joseph Banks, from 

 Munich, April 20, 1797 : 



I think the premium should be limited to new dis- 

 coveries tending to improve the theories of fire, of heat, 

 of light, and of colours, and to new inventions and con- 

 trivances by which the generation and preservation and 

 management of heat and- of light may be facilitated. In 

 as far, therefore, as chemical discoveries or improvements 

 in optics answer any of these conditions they may, I 

 think, fairly be considered as being within the limits 

 assigned to the operation of the premium. The objects 

 which I had more particularly in view to encourage, are 

 such practical improvements in the generation and manage- 

 ment of heat and light as tend directly and powerfully 

 to increase the enjoyments and comforts of life, especially 

 in the lower and more numerous classes of society. 



The first award of the Eumford medal was made, 

 in November 1802, to Count Eumford himself for his 

 own discoveries on heat and light. In 1870 the award 

 was made for the twenty-sixth time. Eleven foreigners 

 have received the honour, and thus added to the reputa- 

 tion of the prize. The greatest English discoverer on 

 the subject of light is not on the list, but when 

 sending the medal to M. Fresnel (who was on his 



