14 
Transactions of the Society. 
judging took place ; those of Mr. Wheeler were found so superior to all 
others that all three medals were awarded to him. They were, how- 
ever, so far superior that the Council called Mr. Wheeler’s attention 
to the fact that the conditions were that equally good instruments 
should be supplied to the public at the prices named ; thereupon Mr. 
Wheeler refused to accept medals in any but the lowest class, where- 
upon the Council revoked the entire award, and the three silver 
medals which had been struck remain in the Society’s cabinet to this 
day. 
Nothing more was done in the matter until 1874, when a com- 
mittee was formed to consider “ what use could be made of the Quekett 
medal,” and they decided to institute an annual Quekett Lecture, for 
which the medal should be given ; bronze medals were struck, and Sir 
John Lubbock was invited to deliver the first lecture. He did so, and 
the highly interesting lecture, which we most of us remember, will be 
found in our Transactions for April 1877. Difficulties arose in 
attempting to continue these lectures, and they were allowed to lapse, 
so that the only Quekett medal ever issued was that presented to Sir 
John Lubbock. In 1879 it was decided to expend part of the fund 
in the purchase of books, and to invest the balance, and apply the 
interest from time to time in the same manner. 
It was not until 1865 that the question of obtaining a Koyal 
Charter of Incorporation for the Society arose, and in 1866 Her 
Majesty was graciously pleased to grant the existing Charter and to 
consent to the word “ Eoyal ” being added to the name of the Society ; 
the Prince of Wales became Patron and the Society assumed its present 
form. 
In 1867 Blenkins resigned the secretaryship, and Jabez Hogg was 
appointed in his place, who retained the office until 1873, when he 
was succeeded by our friend Prof. Charles Stewart. 
At the end of 1868 the connection with the ‘ Quarterly Journal of 
Microscopical Science’ ceased, and a new journal called the ‘ Monthly 
Microscopical Journal ’ was started, edited by Dr. Henry Lawson, and 
published by Messrs. Hardwick and Bogue ; this continued until 1878 
when, the number of Fellows having risen to over four hundred and 
fifty, the Society reverted to its original plan of publishing its own 
Transactions ; and the new Journal was started, which was soon edited 
by Mr. Frank Crisp, in whose hands it became so great a credit both 
to the Society and the editor, and a publication of such great utility 
to microscopists and biologists generally. 
We have now arrived at modern times "which we almost all of us 
remember well, and at what is practically the present position of the 
Society, therefore I do not propose to carry this history any further ; 
but I will consider for a moment the question, “ Has the Society fulfilled 
the purpose for which it was originated? namely the promotion of 
microscopical investigation and the introduction and improvement of 
the Microscope ?” 1 think we may answer confidently and emphatically 
