209 
nute distinctions in the characters of fossil organic remains, which 
have at this time become so important an element in geology. 
The volumes of the Transactions of this Society, and other publi- 
cations by many of its Members, including myself, bear further tes- 
timony to the importance of your labours, in illustrating our works 
with drawings and engravings of fossil shells and plants, expressing 
their characters with a degree of accuracy and truth, which no pencil 
or burine but those of a scientific artist could possibly accomplish ; 
and I am sure I give utterance to the feelings of all our fellows now 
around me, when I thus publicly acknowledge the services you have 
rendered both to ourselves, and to the science we cultivate ; and ex- 
press the satisfaction with which we thus publicly recognise the va- 
lue of your exertions. 
Mr. Sowerby then expressed himself in the following terms: 
Sir, 
I hardly know what to say, so deeply do I feel the unexpected 
and kind award bestowed upon me by this Society, but I must as- 
sure you, that I am extremely grateful for the honour done me. 
When, Sir, you spoke of my father, you excited feelings most dear to 
me, and I have long felt that I have experienced more consideration 
than I have deserved, in consequence of the esteem that has ever 
been attached to his memory. But I must have been a most un- 
grateful son had I not, after his persevering and kind instructions, 
done something for the advancement of Natural History. What 
little I have performed, especially for Members of this Society, has 
been for the love of Science; and I feel far more than amply re- 
warded by the honourable present I have just received at your 
hands. You have stated, Sir, that you take a pleasure in associating 
the name of Wollaston with that of Sowerby; I shall never forget 
the kindness and patience with which Dr. Wollaston communicated 
information. When the reflecting goniometer was first completed by 
him, he spent several hours one morning with me in his study mea- 
suring the cleavages of various minerals related to hornblende and 
augite which I took to him for his opinion ; and at another time 
he indulged me with an equally long lesson on the chemical exami- 
nation of minute portions of minerals. Little did I think at that 
time that I should ever share encouragement continued by his 
bounty, after his departure from this world ; but I have lived to feel 
that his benevolence lives beyond the grave. 
Sir, I receive this award as a trust reposed in me, and hope that 
I shall not be found wanting in carrying out the object the Council 
has in view. 
I beg sincerely to thank the Society for the confidence placed in 
me. 
