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known, with the view of enabling them to look out for a proper person to fill a situation of such dignity in the scientific world, and whose occupation could not fail to be an object of honourable ambition to men of the most eminent social rank, as well as of the most distinguished scientific attainments.
I will not attempt to disguise from you, Gentlemen, the feelings of deep and poignant regret I experienced upon taking a step that would thus necessarily abridge the opportunities, which I had as much enjoyed as I had highly prized, of being brought officially into frequent and familiar contact with the most distinguished philosophers of my own or other countries, and of employing whatever influence my station in society enabled me to exert in advocating the just claims and interests of men of science, in promoting the objects of their labours, in fostering and encouraging their mutual co-operation and intercourse, and in endeavouring to soothe the violence of personal or national jealousies, whenever they unfortunately existed, by bringing them together in social or other meetings where the discussion of topics of irritation could be either suppressed or controlled, and where imaginary prejudices would disappear under the softening operation of reciprocal knowledge and experience. But though deprived for a season, by my retirement, of some of the highest privileges I have hitherto exercised and enjoyed, yet I do not abandon the hope of being still able to maintain and cultivate the very valuable and delightful friendships which I have thus fortunately for myself been enabled to form during the period of my connection with you, by seizing every occasion when presented to me, of appearing at the meetings of the Royal Society, and by co-operating with its members, to the utmost extent of my limited means, in furthering those objects that may be considered to be most important for the advancement of the interests of science.
I am afraid however, Gentlemen, that I have already trespassed unreasonably upon your time and attention in endeavouring to explain to you the motives of my conduct, and to express, though most inadequately, my grateful sense of the kindness which I have invariably experienced from you. I shall therefore now proceed to the more immediate subject of this Address, which is to notice some of the most important Proceedings of the Society which have taken place during the last year.
The Address voted to Her Majesty by the President and Council of the Royal Society, on the Queen's accession to the throne, embodying likewise a petition to Her Majesty to become the Patron of the Society, and to continue to it the Grant of the Medals which had been instituted by King George the Fourth and regranted by William the Fourth, as well as the gracious reply of the Sovereign, transmitted through the Secretary of State for the Home Department, have been already communicated to you at one of the weekly meetings of the Society[1]. On the 20th of June last, the President and Council were summoned to attend at the Palace of
- ↑ June 21, 1838.
