THE ASTRONOMICAL MEDAL. 135 



On the part taken by his three friends, Mr. Adams, 1846. 

 Mr. Airy, and Mr. Challis, Mr. Sheepshanks says : ' I am 

 far better pleased with the perfect candour and simple 

 gentlemanlike feeling of these men, than by anything I 

 have heard of for a long time.' 



The writer conceded his opinion on the medals when 

 he found how utterly impossible it would be to bring all 

 parties to unanimity. He soon after wrote, ' If we don't 

 get rid of the medal, it will capsize us.' And Mr. Airy, 

 who had expressed his feeling that if no medal was given 

 on this occasion the Society could never give one here- 

 after, also yielded to the present necessities of the case. 

 My husband, from having given close attention to the 

 whole question from the beginning, and seen its great 

 difficulties and complications, advised a course which was 

 taken. After the meeting, while the matter was pending, 

 he wrote : 



This question of medals is almost the only one that can Mr. De 

 come before the Council, into the discussion of which may 

 enter that question of right and wrong on which an honest man 

 never allows his opinions to be overruled by considerations 

 of expediency. On the knowledge of this, a wise by-law 

 was enacted, which requires a majority of three to one in favour 

 of the award of a medal. The consequence is, that when 

 opinion is much divided no decision can take place. It was an 

 unwise thing to force back upon the consideration of those who 

 had long and anxiously deliberated without coming to any con- 

 clusion, the discussion of a question involving so many disputed 

 points. It would have been better if the meeting had taken the 

 matter into its own hands, and called a special meeting, not to 

 enlarge the powers of the Council, but to do the thing itself. 

 The meeting, however, showed, on more points than one, a strong 

 feeling that so large a body, and so mixed, was not a proper 

 court for the hearing of such a case. It does not follow that the 

 special meeting when called need of necessity adopt the conclu- 

 sions of the general meeting which called it. No one Parliament, 

 though it may send business to its successor, can dictate how 

 that business shall be done. And if the Society will take a 

 little advice very respectfully offered, they will allow the matter 



