Page:Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Vol 4.djvu/445

Rh logia' and ' Vetusta Monumenta' for proofs of his varied learning, his indefatigable zeal and industry, and his careful accuracy on every one of the many subjects which he touched. His last and perhaps one of his most valuable communications to the Society of Antiqua- ries, of which he was one of the brightest ornaments (I allude to his paper on the Painted Chamber at Westminster), was completed just before his death. I must not omit to refer also to those beautiful works, in which he so carefully and ably illustrated the history of the ancient and curious seat of his own family, Hengrave Hall, and that portion of Suffolk in which it is situated. Throughout all these varied and laborious pursuits, he displayed not only all the qualifica- tions of a most able and careful antiquary, but also a disposition the most kind-hearted, and a tone of mind the most courteous towards the opinions and feelings of others, as well when differing from them in opinion, as when compelled to notice their errors in the same path of antiquarian learning.

Much as he had done, how much more might not yet have been expected from the labours of one so gifted, had not his life been sud- denly and unexpectedly brought to a close !

Lieutenant Wellstead, of the Indian Navy, was a distin- guished traveller in the East. He was the author of a notice on the ruins of Berenice, of a journey into the interior of Oman, and of a journey to the ruins of Nahab el Hajar, published in the Transac- tions of the Royal Geographical Society. He died in the month of October last. He received a severe injury on the head while in India, which was the remote cause of his early and lam.ented death.

Mr. Hennell, the chemical operator at Apothecaries' Hall, lost his life by an extraordinary accident ; he was mixing a large quan- tity of fulminating mercury for the service of the army in India, and being desirous that it should be of an uniform colour, the whole was placed in a large evaporating dish ; as he was stirring it, an explosion of the Mdiole took place, which was attended with his complete de- struction, many parts of the body being thrown to a considerable di- stance. He was an eminent chemist, and had furnished two papers to our Transactions.

It is now. Gentlemen, time for me to perform the most agreeable part of the duty which fails to the lot of a President on your Anni- versary — that of giving the Medals awarded by the Council. As we have not the pleasure of seeing here today Mr. MacCullagh, I shall beg Mr. Wheatstone, as his friend, to transmit his Medal to that gentleman.

Mr. Wheatstone.

It gives me great satisfaction to be the organ of the Council of the Royal Society in bestowing on your friend Mr. MacCullagh the Copley Medal. It is needless for me to dilate on the profound ma- thematical skill and exemplary diligence with which he has explained