Ill 



as is also the case with a set of star-charts, in which, besides all the stars 

 actually observed, as many are inserted as could be interpolated by the eye. 

 It is much to be desired that these should not be lost to astronomy ; and 

 all who love that science will express a hope that his representatives will 

 complete a work which has done such honour to their name. 



Mr. Cooper continued to observe almost up to his death, which occurred 

 on April 23, 1863, shortly after that of his wife, to whom he was deeply 

 attached. The date of his election into the Royal Society is June 2, 1853. 

 He represented the county of SUgo in Parliament for many years, and was 

 a kind and good landlord, making great exertions to educate and improve 

 his numerous tenantry. His personal qualities were of a high order, 

 blameless and fascinating in private life, a sincere Christian, no mean poet, 

 an accomplished painter and linguist, an exquisite musician, and possessing 

 a wide and varied range of general information. 



Joshua Field was a member of a well-known firm of Civil Engineers 

 at Lambeth. The chief occupation of his life was mechanical engineering, 

 and he had an important share in the improvements which have been made 

 during his time in the construction of marine steam-engines. Mr. Field 

 was one of the founders of the Institution of Civil Engineers, and one of 

 its earliest Vice-Presidents. In 1848 he was elected President, on which 

 occasion he, in his inaugural address, gave a sketch of the progress of 

 improvement in steam navigation. He became a Member of the Royal 

 Society in 1836. His death took place on the 11th of August 1863, 

 at the age of 76. 



Richard Fowler, M.D., the oldest Fellow of the Royal Society, died 

 at his residence, Milford, near Salisbury, April 13, 1863, in his 98th 

 year. He was born in London, November 28, 1/65, and at an early 

 age was so feeble in health, that it was thought necessary to send him to 

 reside with a relation in Staffordshire. He was thence sent to Edinburgh 

 for his education. While yet a youth he was entered for the medical pro- 

 fession, and while pursuing his studies he eagerly embraced the oppor- 

 tunity of attending the lectures on Moral and Political Philosophy of 

 Dugald Stewart, to whose influence he ever afterwards referred with grati- 

 tude. From Edinburgh he proceeded to Paris, at a time when Louis XVI., 

 Marie Antoinette, and the Dauphin were yet to be seen in their regal state ; 

 and Dr. Fowler was fond of telling how he saw them thus, and also of 

 having exchanged greetings with Talleyrand while yet the young and 

 courtly Bishop of Autun. He remained long enough in Paris to witness 

 much of the strife of the first French Revolution. He was personally ac- 

 quainted with Mirabeaa, and often listened to his eloquence in the National 

 Assembly. On his return to Edinburgh he was admitted, in Nov. 1790, a 

 Member of the Speculative Society of that city, which had been founded in 

 1764, and has numbered among its members some of the most eminent 



h 2 



