The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-12-02 00:00:00

THE ROYAL SOCIETY.

On Wednesday the Royal Society had their Anniversary Dinner
tithe Crown and Anchor Tavern. The company (which was dis-
tinguished and select, Members only of the Royal Society being ad-
mined) sat down to an elegant dinner soon after six o'clock._
Amongst the company present were, the Bishop of Carlisle, Mr.
Secretary Peel, 31r. Bell (the retired Chancery Barrister), Sir
Everard Home, who was accompanied by hie arm, ('apt. Boma,
&c., W. Mad.lock, Esq. (of Portland-place), D. Gilbert, Evq,
M. P.. the Society's Treasurer, Nathaniel Lee, Esq., the Secre-
tary, Mr. More, of Lincoln's-inn, the Treasurer ot the Society's
Club, &r.

Sir HUMPHREY DAVI', the successor of the late Sir Joseph
Bankea, the President of the Society, took the Chair. On his
right hand was the Bishop of Carlisle, and on his left. sat 141 r. Se-
em/try Peel.

The cloth having been removed, the Chairman proposed,
" The King, the Patron of the Royal Society." doing so, he
sail it was unnecessary for him to enlarge on the claims which his
Majesty had on their and the country's gra•efol acknowledg.
meats. The King was not only the Patron of the Hoyal Soci.
ety, he most liberally patronized the Arts and Sciences generally,
and every thing that was calculated to promote the renown and the
welfare of the nation. The toast was received with the most
marked enthusiasm.

Mr. Secretary PEEL rose. He said lie was not presumptuous
enough to claim their attention for the purpose of returning thanks
for the honour which they had justly conrerred on his Majesty :
his object in rising was to state, that he had It in command from
his Slajeaty to communicate the King's intention of annually pre-
senting the Society with two medals of the value of MI. each, to
be bestowed as rewards for meritorious exertions on valuable and
useful productions or discoveries. His Majesty had been pleased
further to command Min to state that he de,ired in no way to spe-
cify the objects for which Pilch medals were to be deemed as re-
wards; that might prejudicially limit their utility ; the disposition
of them would be left solely to the judgment of the Royal Society's
Council. His Majesty, who was, indeed, a munifioent Patron of
the Arts and Sciences, had confidence in the Society's skill and
discretion, and therefore left the appropriation of the medals with
them, feeling assured that they would so use and award them as to
give, what was his Majesty's object, useful stimulus, and to pro-
mote valuable scientific retrench and discoveries. The Right Hon.
Secretary added, that he felt peculiarly complimented and grateful
in having been selected to tusks this commturicatioa to that dicia-
guished Society.
" The Duke of York and the Royal Family"—" The So-
ciety of Antiquarians"—" The Royal Acadcmy"--were toasts that
followed.

Mr. D. Gtzitenz then proposed the health of the President of
the Royal Society. He would not occupy the attention of the
mom with dwelling on the merits of their distinguished Chairman,
especially as that individual was necessarily present ; indeed it was
not requisite, for his excellencies were well known to those assem-
bled on the present occasion. His varied acquirements, and his
useful discoveries, not only reflected great honour on himself, but
had been highly valuable to his country. 11is zeal for the success
of that Society they all knew, and it had been made still more ma-
nifest by their President's conduct and statements in the Society's
Council held that morning. The toast was honoured in the most
friendly and enthusiastic manner.

Sir A. Darr, in returninghis orknowledgmenta, said, that he
felt fully sensible of the value of the compliment that had just been
conferred on him, as well as of the distinction of being the Presi.
dent of so honourable and useful a Society. That Society hail
hitherto been eminently valuable in promoting information, laud-
able inquiries, and useful discoveries; science owed much to it.
The Society had heretofore stimulated to valuable reseach and dis-
covery ; and with such patronage, and after the communication of
that evening, it could not fail to be still more eminent and useful.
The spirit of inquiry was now abroad ; the desire of improvement,
anti the anxiety for useful research and discoveries, now more than
ever animated society. Science, within the last 100 years, bad made
rapid strides, so much so, that could an inhabitant of another
planet have been a century ago dropped on the mill, then with.
drawn, and now brought to visit this sublunary scene, such person
would hardly recognise it to be the sante spot that he had before
visited. The changes were not such as to require detail from him ;
though the rail-roads and canals of the country, the extensive ap-
plication of the steam engine, the improvements In the instinct's
compass, &c. proved the varied and wonderful changes ; and they
also showed what was still more gratifying, that the great dia.
coverlet of science had been rendered subservient to the uses and
prosperity of society. Ile concluded with assuring the company of
his devotion to the interests of the Royal Society, and to the gene-
ral advancement of science.

The health of the Vice-Presidents having been given,
The Bishop of Cauxtect (on behalf of himself and Sir Eve-
rett' Home), begged to return heartfelt acknowledgment.; for the
honour that had just been conferred. Zealous as he wan to promote
the welfare of the Society, he knew bin own unworthiness for the
distinguished station to which he had been raised; but he could
assure them that no anxieties or attention would be wanting on his
part to promote the interests of the Royal Society, and of science
generally.
After the Treasurer's health ha 4 been given, and Mr. D. Gilbert,
M.P. had returned thanks ; and after some other toasts to Mr.
Barlow, of Woolwich, &c. the company sepwated.

On Thursday afternoon a person parsing by the house
of Mary Kirk, at Birch-hills, near Walsall, and perceiving
it full of smoke, looked through the window, when a most
horrid sight presented itself, the miserable inmate lying
under the grate, burnt in so shocking a manner about the
head and upper part of her body, that one of her breasts
was nearly reduced to a cinder; and in this condition the
poor creature lingered till about ten o'clock the next morn-
ing. The deceased was about 63 years of age ; and, as she
was addicted to drinking, it is supposed she was in a stele
of intoxication at the time the accident happened, when,
overcome by sleep, she had fallen from her seat against
the fire. An Inquisition was held upon the body before
Henry Smith, Esq. Coroner, and a verdict of "Accidental
death" returned.— fn.! verliompton Chronicle.
On Wednesday evening, a gentleman left his horse, a
fine bay gelding, in charge of a youth, in Euston-square,
where he had not left it but a few minutes, when a fel-
low, pretending to be the owner, mounted, and rode him
of at fun speed towards the North•road, and has not since
been discovered.
WI ma Annzes.—The Calendar for these Asixes is
likely to be heavy ; the number at alba time for trial ex-
ceeds sixty, amongst whom we observe eight persons charged
with horse-stealing.—Eue.r

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