6 



of just and equal laws. I would gladly enlarge, if the time or the 

 occasion would permit me to do so, upon these and many other 

 virtues in the character of one who was so closely connected with 

 me by the ties of relationship and of duty ; but I am quite sure that I 

 should fail in the expression both of your sentiments and my own, 

 if I did not acknowledge, in becoming terms of respect and grati- 

 tude, the especial patronage and protection which he extended to 

 the Royal Society, by the renewed grant of the two Annual Me- 

 dals which had been instituted by his royal brother and predecessor, 

 and by the enactment of such statutes for their distribution as ap- 

 peared to him best calculated to stimulate the exertions of philo- 

 sophers, and to associate for ever the results of their labours with 

 the publication of the Transactions of the Royal Society. 



The Council availed themselves of the earliest opportunity which 

 the resumption of their meetings allowed, to present, in the name of 

 the Fellows of the Royal Society, the homage of their loyalty and 

 devotion to the person and throne of the illustrious Princess who 

 now wields the sceptre of this great empire ; and they ventured at 

 the same time to express a hope that Her Majesty would be gra- 

 ciously pleased, in conformity with the practice of her predecessors, 

 to sign her royal name in our Register as Patroness of our Society, 

 and that she would likewise continue to us the annual grant of the 

 two Medals which had been made by King George the Fourth and 

 King William the Fourth. 



This Address has been presented to Her Majesty, who has been 

 graciously pleased to signify to me, through the Secretary of State, 

 that she is most sensible of the loyalty and attachment expressed in 

 it, and that she cordially joins in the wish of the Royal Society that 

 her reign may be distinguished by the triumphs of the arts of 

 peace and by the general diffusion and advancement of religion 

 and knowledge amongst all classes of her subjects. Her Majesty 

 was further graciously pleased to intimate that she would have great 

 satisfaction in becoming the Patroness of the Royal Society, and that 

 she would annually place at their disposal two Gold Medals, and 

 would continue to extend to them the same protection and patronage 

 which they had received from her royal predecessors. 



I feel proud. Gentlemen, in being able to communicate to you 

 these gracious assurances of support and protection from our Pa- 

 troness and Queen, which are well calculated to confirm, though 

 they cannot increase, the loyal and devoted attachment which we 

 feel to her person ; and I trust that I shall be able, at no distant 

 period, to announce to you that Her Majesty has signed her royal 

 name in our Register as Patroness of the Royal Society. 



I now proceed to notice some of the more important events con- 

 nected with the administration of the Royal Society during the last 

 year. 



One of the Royal Medals has been adjudged to Mr. Whewell for 

 his very valuable series of researches on the tides, which have been 

 published in our Transactions, chiefly during the last three years. 

 I must refer you, Gentlemen, for a statement of the grounds upon 



