CELEBRATION ADDRESSES 97 



service of Truth. One of the earliest of the Associations founded in any 

 European country 'for promoting Natural Knowledge', it has extended its 

 investigations, so as to comprehend all the Physical as well as Mathematical 

 Sciences, and the roll of its Presidents, Secretaries, and of successive generations 

 of its Fellows, as well as of its Medallists, covers the entire range of modern 

 scientific progress. The ' Invisible College ' of the years preceding the Grant 

 of the Society's first Charter, which it commemorates to-day, has long since 

 established its leading position among the chief agencies in the advancement of 

 * Natural Knowledge ' throughout the world. Nor can we forget that the list 

 of its Officers and Fellows includes many names notable in the annals of British 

 Letters, and in the history of those Studies which have of late found particular 

 representation among the members of our own Body. Of the long and varied 

 labours of the Royal Society a record of monumental completeness is presented 

 in its Transactions, extending over very nearly the whole of the two hundred 

 and fifty years of its strenuous existence. To the work thus unintermittently 

 carried on by the Society has been added its faithful and fruitful administration 

 of the important trusts committed to it by the Government of the Country, 

 and through other Benefactions, as well as its wise distribution of the Annual 

 Grants made to it, and its judicious award of Distinctions marking great 

 achievements in original Scientific Investigation. All these high and onerous 

 functions have been performed by the Royal Society in a spirit of self-devotion 

 and with a fullness of success which entitle it to the grateful acknowledge- 

 ments of a long series of generations, including the present of which we form 

 part. With the sincere expression, on the present great occasion, of this 

 widespread and well-merited recognition, the British Academy, in a spirit of 

 faithful and grateful homage, desires most cordially to associate itself 



(Signed) 



A. W. WARD, President of the British Academy. 



RE AY ] Late Presidents of the 



E. MAUNDE THOMPSON) British Academy. 

 I. GOLLANCZ, Secretary of the British Academy. 



Date of Sealing, June 14, 



BRITISH MUSEUM, LONDON 



To THE PRESIDENT, COUNCIL, AND FELLOWS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY. THE 

 TRUSTEES OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM desire to offer to you their cordial con- 

 gratulations on the occasion of the two hundred and fiftieth Anniversary of 

 the foundation of your Society. Few institutions for the advancement of 

 natural knowledge can claim an existence of equal length ; none can boast 

 a longer list of services to humanity than that which stands to the credit of 



