y understands how such a record is read from the
displacement of lines on the spectrum, as recorded on the photographic
negative. But imagine Sir William Herschel, roused from a century's
slumber, listening to this paper, which involves a subject of which he
was the first great master. "Ebulae," he might say; "yes, they were a
specialty of mine; but swarms of meteors--I know nothing of these. And
'spectroscopes,' 'photographs'--what, pray, are these? In my day there
were no such words or things as spectroscope and photograph; to my mind
these words convey no meaning."

But why go farther? These imaginings suffice to point a moral that he
who runs may read. Of a truth the march of science still goes on as it
has gone on with steady tread throughout the long generations of the
Royal Society's existence. If the society had giants among its members
in the days of its childhood and adolescence, no less are there giants
still to keep up its fame in the time of its maturity. The place of
England among the scientific constellations is secure through tradition,
but not through tradition alone.

III. THE ROYAL INSTITUTION AND THE LOW-TEMPERATURE RESEARCHES

FOUNDATION AND FOUNDER

"GEORGE THE THIRD, by the Grace of God King of Great Britain, France,
and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, etc., to all to whom these presents
shall come, greeting. Whereas several of our loving subjects are
desirous of forming a Public Institution for diffusing the knowledge and
facilitating the general introduction of Useful Mechanical Inventions
and Improvements; and for teaching, by Courses of Philosophical Lectures
and Experiments, the Application of Science to the Common Purposes of
Life, we do hereby give and grant"--multifarious things which need not
here be quoted. Such are the opening words of the charter with which, a
little more than a century ago, the Royal Institution of Great Britain
came into existence and received its legal christening. If one reads on
he finds that the things thus graciously "given and granted," despite
all the official verbiage, amount to nothing more than royal sanction
and approval, but doubtless that meant more in the way of assuring
popular approval than might at first glimpse appear. So, too, of the
list of earls, baronets, and the like, who appear as officers and
managers of the undertaking, and who are described in the charter as
"our right trusty and right well-beloved cousins," "our right trusty
an