the apparent orbit of the star, and from certain measurements which
could easily be effected upon it, the determination of the true
ellipse in which the movement is performed could be arrived at. In
other words, Herschel solved in a beautiful manner the problem of
finding the true orbits of double stars. The importance of this work
may be inferred from the fact that it has served as the basis on
which scores of other investigators have studied the fascinating
subject of the movement of binary stars.

The labours, both in the discovery and measurement of the double
stars, and in the discussion of the observations with the object of
finding the orbits of such stars as are in actual revolution,
received due recognition in yet another gold medal awarded by the
Royal Society. An address was delivered on the occasion by the Duke
of Sussex (30th November, 1833), in the course of which, after
stating that the medal had been conferred on Sir John Herschel, he
remarks:--

"It has been said that distance of place confers the same privilege
as distance of time, and I should gladly avail myself of the
privilege which is thus afforded me by Sir John Herschel's separation
from his country and friends, to express my admiration of his
character in stronger terms than I should otherwise venture to use;
for the language of panegyric, however sincerely it may flow from the
heart, might be mistaken for that of flattery, if it could not thus
claim somewhat of an historical character; but his great attainments
in almost every department of human knowledge, his fine powers as a
philosophical writer, his great services and his distinguished
devotion to science, the high principles which have regulated his
conduct in every relation of life, and, above all, his engaging