114 



has therefore no foundation, and their actual arrangement rather 

 indicates the operation of causes presenting a marked difference from 

 those which act in our planetary system. 



3. Your Lordship's researches have disclosed an arrangement 

 even more astonishing and more suggestive than any vv^hich had 

 been previously ascribed to Nebulae ; — that spiral conformation which 

 prevails in so m^any instances, occasionally displayed with all the 

 graceful precision of a geometric curve, but most frequently seen 

 obliquely, and causing the appearance of curved luminous or dark 

 bands. It is found connected with single or multiple centres, clusters 

 or stars ; with rings probably of stars, and even may be traced in 

 ordinary clusters. What are the conditions of which it is the result ? 

 If the Astronomer finds it hard to conceive the laws which can 

 maintain the permanence of a uniform globular cluster, how much 

 enhanced is the difficulty, when to the perturbing forces which exist 

 in that simplest case are added others, such as the vortex-like cha- 

 racter of these marvellous forms ! 



All this would be much had it been achieved by one W'ho sought 

 the means of fathoming the depths of the sky in the workshops of 

 Munich, Paris, or London ; but it is much more when he not merely 

 uses, but has himself created that transcendent explorer, whose 

 possible existence would a few ^^ears since have been regarded with 

 incredulity. You, my Lord, have not only overcome the difficulties 

 which had deterred professional opticians, by a course of costly ex- 

 periments continued with consummate skill and science for many 

 years, but have made it a special object to communicate the know- 

 ledge so laboriously obtained for the public use. The Council has 

 a^\arded to your Lordship the Medal which Her Majesty, our 

 Patroness, has graciously placed at the disposal of the Royal Society, 

 as the highest testimonial which, as your Lordship is one of the 

 Council, it is in their power to offer; but we are sure that you 

 would deem it even a higher one, should we be able to establish in 

 another region an observer, who would imitate the course of disco- 

 very on which you have so gloriously entered ; and which it is the 

 earnest desire of every friend of science that you may long be per- 

 mitted to pursue. 



The President then addressed Mr. Newport. 

 Mr. Newport, 



I am most happy that the important services you have rendered 

 to Physiological Science have been again rewarded, and that the 

 pleasing duty has devolved upon me of placing in your hands, a 

 Pvoyal Medal, for your paper * On the Impregnation of the Ovum in 

 the Amphibia,' First Series, published in the Philosophical Trans- 

 actions for 1851. 



In dealing with that obscure and difficult subject, you have pro- 

 ceeded cautiously, and in a true philosophic spirit, deriving your 

 information from experiments, ingeniously contrived, and ably exe- 



