[57] See page [100] of this volume.
[58] At the Anniversary of the Royal Society, November 1796, Count Rumford transferred one thousand pounds, Three per Cent. Consols, to the use of the Society, on condition that a premium should be biennially awarded to the author of the most important discovery, or useful invention, made known in any part of Europe during the preceding two years, on the subject of Heat and Light. In regard to the form in which this premium was to be conferred, he requested that it might always be given in two medals, struck in the same die, the one of gold, and the other of silver.
Should not any discovery or improvement be made during any terms of years, he directed that the value of the medals should be reserved, and being laid out in the purchase of additional stock, go in augmentation of the capital of this premium.
Medals upon this foundation have been successively voted to Professor Leslie, for his Experiments on Heat, published in his work entitled "An Experimental Enquiry into the Nature and Properties of Heat;"—To Mr. William Murdoch, for his publication "On the Employment of Gas and Coal for the purpose of Illumination;"—to M. Malus, for his discoveries of certain new properties of reflected light;—to Dr. Wells, for his Essay on Dew;—to Sir Humphry Davy, as above stated;—to Dr. Brewster, for his Optical Investigations;—and, lastly, to Mr. Fresnel, for his optical researches.
[59] "On the Safety-lamp for Coal Mines, with some Researches on Flame.—London, 1818."
[60] Sir William Congreve, in addition to other marks of favour, received a pension of twelve hundred a-year, for the invention of his Rocket; or, in the exact terms of the grant, "for inventions calculated to destroy or annoy the enemy."
[61] He was created a Baronet on the 20th of October, 1818.
[62] Water, when cooled down to 40°, expands in volume, and thus becomes specifically lighter; and therefore at that temperature remains at the surface.
[63] Mr. Poole informs me, that he "had been anxious to interest him, as President of the Royal Society, in favour of those brave and scientific navigators, particularly Lieutenant, now Captain, Liddon, who commanded the Griper, in Captain Parry's first voyage."
[64] The Charter of the Royal Society states that it was established for the improvement of NATURAL science. This epithet "natural" was originally intended to imply a meaning of which very few persons, I believe, are aware. At the period of the establishment of the Society, the arts of witchcraft and divination were very extensively encouraged; and the word natural was therefore introduced, in contradistinction to super-natural.