NATURE 
[ Dec. 7, 1882 
THE ROYAL SOCLIE LVS 
QO UR anniversary is in one sense the opening of a new year, in 
another it is the close of an old one. With one hand we 
weclome the coming, with the other we bid farewell to the de- 
parting guest. Inthe later parts of my present address I shall have 
to speak, as on former occassions, of our prospects and hopes 
for the future. At our more festive gathering in the evening we 
shall recuunt some of the victories which have been won over 
difficulties in the exteusion of knowledge, and shall rejoice at 
the gathering of old comrades and friends after our u-ual period 
of dispersion. But at the moment of taking my place in the 
chair to which you have now for the fourth time elected me, I 
must confess that the sadder side of the picture is the most pro- 
minent. We seem almost for the moment to euter the Valley of 
the Shadow of Death, or, like Dante, to descend to the place of 
Departed Spirits, and to commune with them once more after 
they have vanished from the upper world. Each year during my 
own term of office the numbers lost to us have been greater than 
the numbers gained ; but this year, although the li-t of deaths is 
long and comprises not a few distinguivhed Fellows, they all 
seem overshadowed by two prominent figures. Que of these 
died in the fulness of years, of honours, and of world-wide 
re, utation ; the other in the strength and bouyancy of youth, a 
buoyancy which appears to have even contributed to his end. 
Of Darwin and his works it is not for me to speak. Others, 
with wider knowledge, after longer intercourse, and with greater 
authority, have said what was possible at the moment, and the 
full story of his life is now being written by faithfulhands. But I 
consider it no common piece of fortune to have lived within easy 
distance of his house: to have been able by a short pilgrimage 
to enjoy his bright welcome, and his genial conversation, and to 
revive from time to timea mental picture of that my ideal of the 
philosophic life. 
Of Balfour I knew far le.s, and his works are beyond my 
range of knowledge. But such was the fascination of his speech 
and his demeanour that to have seen him was to desire to know 
him better. To have been selected at his age as one of the 
Secretaries of the British Association, a post usually reserved 
for men of more advanced years and of longer experience, to 
have been appointed to a professorship founded almost on the 
ba-is of his own work, and thereby to have become the coadjutor 
of his own great master in the Physiological School at Cambridge 
and all this without one word of cavil or of criticism, was a high 
testimony to his scientific eminence. But far wider afield, it will 
be remembered of him, not so much that he was brilliant in 
intellect, or keen of insight, or varied in his attainments, but 
th t he always found himself among friends, whether in college 
or in the laboratory, in his own home over the northern border, 
or oa the wild mountain side where he breathed his last. 
The list of deceased Fellows comprises other eminent names, 
many of whom will receive mention in our obituary notices. 
The list, moreover, serves again to exemplify the variety of 
qualifications which have opened our doors to election. In 
Decimus Burton we find an architect of refined taste and culti- 
vated mind; in Stanley Jevons and William Newmarch 
statisticians of weight, and the former already an authority on 
political and other philosophy; in Sir Woodbine Parish a 
geographer, and more than a geographer, a man wh» by service 
as well as by study in foreign land; had acquired an unusual 
amount of first hand and accarate information ; in Scott Russell an 
engineer whose brilliant early strokes of work will be remembered 
when the difficulties which entangled his later efforts have been 
long forgotten ; in Dr. Robinson a veteran and mentor in science, 
whose work and whose judgment were alike sound. Of Sir 
Wyville Thomson mention will be made el.ewhere. 
To this list of names there was well nigh added yet another, 
namely, my own. An accident, under circumstances which the 
issue of events and more mature reflection have shown that I 
was hardly justified in incurring, has for some time past inter- 
fered materially with my usual avocations in life, and thereby, 
as I fear, with my usefulness to the Society. But the ready and 
efficient assistance of the other cfficers has, I doubt not, gone 
far to supply the deficiency. For myself, 1 am consoled by the 
kind expres-ion of sympathy from many, some even unknown, 
friends ; and by the consideration, ever present to my mind, 
that, except through a combination of circumstances over which 
I had certainly no conscious control, the result to myself might 
have been far more serious. 
* Address of thel President, William’ Spottiswoode, D.C.L., LL.D., 
delivered at the Anniversary Meeting, November 30, 1882. 
The total number of Fellows lost to our ranks during the past 
year is twenty-two on the home list (one of whom has withdrawn 
on account of growing infirmities), and four on the foreign list ; 
a resulr, on the whole, not very different froia that of last year. 
Of these two fell young, and by accident. Of the remainder, 
two died between the ages of 50 and 60, four between those of 
60 and 70, six between those of 70 and 80; and the remaiaing 
five aitained ages between four score and go. 
In Lioaville we have again losta veteran mathematician ; in 
Wohler, a chemist whose years, numbered from the beginning 
of the present century, reached to a period almost prehistoric in 
the records of his science. 
I am happy to report that the sal= of the Acton estate has 
been c »wpleted ; and that of the proceeds, amounting to 32,250/., 
17,000/, has been iavested in preference or guaranteed railway 
stock ; and the remainder will be expeuded in the purchase of 
ground rents, partly in the City of London, and partly in the 
western suburbs. The income from the latter source, already 
representing a very fair interest on the outlay, may be expected 
materially to increase at the expiration of the existing building 
leases. Some additioual expense was incurred this year in 
painting a portion of the Society’s apartments. A considerable 
portion still remains to be painted, either next year, or at some 
not very di tant period. 
While on the subject of property, I should mention that Her 
Majesty has sanctioned ‘‘the continuance of the occupition of 
the Royal Observatory at Kew by the Royal Society,” upon 
certain conditions, which have beenaccepted. The building will 
be devoted, as heretofore, to the use of the Kew Committee, 
whose work, it must be remembered, is provided for in the main 
by the Gassiot Fund. 
Last year the Society accep'ed a portrait of Sir J. D. Hooker, 
painted by Mr. John Collier, at the request and at the expense 
of a considerable number of Fellows. I trust that the Society 
will approve the action of myself and a few others, in this year 
offering for our collection a portrait, by the same artist, of Mr. 
Joule. 
" Mr. A. Le Gros has presentel to the Society a broaze 
medallion head, executed by himself, of the late Mr. Darwin. 
The Library has received many valuable contributions both 
from our Fellows and from others. Among the latter I may 
mention the completion of ‘‘ The Lepidoptera of Ceylon,” from 
the Government of Ceyloa; G. Retzius’ ‘‘GehGrorgan der 
Wirbelthiere,” from the author ; a new edition of Abel’s works, 
from the Norwegian Government ; and facsimile lithographs of 
some of the late Prof. Clifford’s mathematical fragments, and 
the catalogue in two hand-one volumes from the Public Library 
of Victoria. 
The printing of the general part of our library cata- 
logue is in progress; and although, owing to unforeseen 
difficulties the hope expre-sed last year, that it would have 
been now finished, has not been fulfilled, yet there seems 
little doubt that early next year it may be in the hands of the 
Fellows. 
Ou the completion of this work the Library Committee con- 
template resuming another decade, 1874-83, of the great 
Catalogue of Scientific papers; and the President and Council» 
trust that the success which has attended the publication of the 
eight volumes already in existence will justify the Treasury in 
undertaking the printing of the second supp!emeat when the 
MS. has been prepared. 
In the staff of the Society I have happily no change to report. 
Of the existing members my own feelinss would impel me to 
say much more ; but, while they would probibly wish me to be 
silent, I trust they will pardon me in this one remark : that while 
recent ehanges make me less apprehensive of any future altera- 
tions, they at the same time make me hope that any alteration 
may be long postponed. 
Although the number of papers presented to the Society 
during tbe past year, apart from their contents, does not convey 
any very important information, yet in continuation of past 
practice I may perhaps carry on the ten years’ table. It is as 
follows, showing a slight diminution in the past year :— 
1873... ....cccseses ecuse> Q2)papersmeceived. 
1874 paeenoesebstote SAE 98 ” ” 
1875 wcacveccasacuasyensas 88 ” ” 
1876.. . ” ” 
1877 ” ” 
1878 ” ” 
1879 
” ” 
_ 
