521 



The magnetical observatories are still carrying on their observa- 

 tions, both in Her Majesty's dominions and in foreign countries, and 

 another naval officer, Lieut. Moore, has proceeded to the Antarctic 

 Seas to complete a portion of the survey of Captain Sir James Ross, 

 which was interrupted by stress of weather. That gallant and enter- 

 prising officer will, I hope, ere long give to us and to the public his 

 own narrative of his important discoveries. Detailed accounts of 

 the botany and zoology of the regions visited by him are preparing 

 under the patronage of the Government, while Colonel Sabine is 

 proceeding with the magnetical observations, which were the more 

 immediate objects of this, one of the most important voyages of 

 discovery ever undertaken. 



During the course of the year just expired, the presence in En- 

 gland of the King of Saxony gave us the opportunity of obtaining 

 the honour of his accession to the list of the Royal Members of our 

 Society, — a circumstance the more gratifying, as His Majesty is a 

 follower as well as a patron of science. 



The cordial co-operation of His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of 

 Russia in the magnetical inquiries carrying on by our own and other 

 governments, mainly at the request of the Royal Society, makes us 

 the more to regret that the shortness of his stay in England rendered 

 it impossible for us to obtain his signature in our Charter-book in 

 addition to those of so many other sovereigns. The absence from 

 London of the King of the French during his late short stay in En- 

 gland, as well as our own vacation, precluded us from taking any 

 steps for the election of that monarch. This we must all lament when 

 we advert to the proximity of the two nations, and to the eminent 

 services that so many men of the greatest genius, industry and talent 

 on the other side of the Channel have rendered to science. 



In thus adverting to the visits of these royal strangers to our 

 sovereign, I trust that I shall neither be accused of adulation nor of 

 introducing politics where they would be peculiarly unseasonable. 

 In my opinion, science is herself so illustrious, that she can receive 

 no additional wreath from any follower or patron, however exalted 

 in rank or power, but, on the contrary, that she will confer honour 

 on them. But though this be true of science in the abstract, yet a 

 society like ours must gain by such additions to its ranks ; and though 

 the powerful of the earth cannot make the cause of science more 

 intrinsically honourable, yet they can make her progress more easy 

 and more rapid. As long as we feel that her advancement must 

 promote all the best interests of humanity, so long we must rejoice 

 to see the sovereigns of nations, differing in their language, their 

 polity and their religion, nevertheless uniting to increase our know- 

 ledge of the wonderful works of the Author of Nature, and to aug- 

 ment our capability of employing that knowledge in the service of 

 mankind. 



The two Medals placed at our disposal by Her Majesty have been 

 adjudged by your Council to Mr. Boole and Dr. Andrews, and the 

 Copley Medal to Signor Matteucci of Pisa. I regret that the latter 

 distinguished foreign philosopher, whom I and many of yourselves, 



