Page:Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Vol 4.djvu/290

Rh an almost equal power of anchoring by the stern and by the bow, a more secure and effective position for the rudder, and a stout platform for a powerful battery, embracing a sweep of more than 180°. This capital improvement was strenuously opposed by many distinguished naval officers, who regretted the loss of those magnificent cabins, which were better suited for purposes of state than of service ; but the good sense of less prejudiced judges happily prevailed, and se- cured for our ships of war an additional claim upon the respect of our enemies.

Foreign nations have not been tardy to acknowledge the value of these important improvements, and their author received many sub- stantial proofs of their sense of his merits ; and we may safely affirm, that in the national record of the great benefactors of their country, there are few names which will deserve, and, we trust, continue to receive, a more grateful commemoration than that of Sir Robert Seppings.

It has long been the practice of the Royal Society to associate with its body those persons in our country who are most eminent for their high rank or their commanding talents, for their distin- guished public services, for their accomplishments in the arts, for their attainments in literature, for the important influence which their virtues or labours may have exercised upon the character and prospects of society, or upon the general interests of humanity ; wisely judging that science will gain both in the enlargement of its objects and in the dignity and estimation of its cultivators, by being thus united with whatever is best entitled to command and to re- ceive the admiration and respect of mankind : it is amongst this class of our Members that I have to notice several losses of more than ordinary importance.

The Earl of Mansfield was a nobleman of illustrious family, who, in addition to many other accomplishments, was one of the most elegant and effective parliamentary orators of his day.

Lord Holland was Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and a nobleman who was remarkable for his profound knowledge of the con- stitutional history of his country, and for the extent and variety of his literary attainments*. It was the remark of a well-known philoso- phical author and writer, " that there was something so sweet in the blood of the Foxes, that no one could approach them without feeling the fascination of their social powers : " and there was probably no man of his age who was the object of more enthusiastic love and admiration of his friends, private and political, than Lord Holland.

Sir William Sydney Smith was a hero in the most chivalrous period of our naval history, the scenes of whose early triumphs have so recently been rendered illustrious by others of an equally memo- rable character.

Sir John Lubbock was one of those persons engaged in trade whose extensive transactions and liberal views give dignity to the

of Lope de Vega, accompanied by some beautiful translations of his more remarkable poems.
 * He was the author of a most elegant account of the life and writings