1851 ELECTED F.R.S. 97 



time set itself to become a body of working men of 

 science ; to exclude for the future all mere dilettanti, 

 and to admit a limited number of men whose work 

 was such as to deserve recognition. Thanks to the 

 initiative of Forbes, he now found this recognition 

 accorded to him on the strength of his "Medusa" 

 paper. He writes in February : 



The F.R.S. that you tell me you dream of being 

 appended to my name is nearer than one might think, to 

 my no small surprise. ... I had no idea that it was at 

 all within my reach, until I found out the other day, 

 talking with Mr. Bell, that my having a paper in the 

 Transactions was one of the best of qualifications. 



My friend Forbes, to whom I am so much indebted, 

 has taken the matter in hand for me, and I am told I am 

 sure of getting it this year or the next. I do not at all 

 expect it this year, as there are a great many candidates, 

 far better men than I. ... I shall think myself lucky 

 if I get it next year. Don't say anything about the matter 

 till I tell you. ... As the old proverb says, there is many 

 a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip. 



There were thirty-eight candidates ; of these the 

 Council would select fifteen, and submit their names 

 for election at a general meeting of the Society. He 

 was not yet twenty-six years of age, and certainly 

 the youngest and least known of the competitors. 

 Others probably had been up before possibly 

 many times before; nevertheless, on this, his first 

 candidature, he was placed among the selected. 

 The formal election did not take place till June 5, 

 but on a chance visit to Forbes he heard the great 



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