You have heard, Sir, the account I have given of the rise and progress of the _theory of gunnery_, and of your improvement of it; a recital, which by no means would have done either you or the subject justice, had it been addressed to any other audience than to the present. But as my intention was only briefly to recall to the memory of these gentlemen what they knew of this subject, antecedently to your Paper, and to remind them of the result of your experiments, I flatter myself I have said what was sufficient on the occasion; being now authorized by them to deliver into your hand this medal, as the perpetual memorial of their approbation. And let me add, Sir, that they make you this present with the more cordial affection, as by your other ingenious and valuable communications they are assured, not only of your talents, but of your zeal, for promoting the interests and honour of their Institution. [Illustration] FOOTNOTES [1] 2 Chron. xxvi. 15. [2] M. FOLARD. [3] The chief exception that occurs to this general remark, is the rapid progress which in that age COPERNICUS made in astronomy; who was not indeed an Italian, but was supposed to have profited by his early travels into Italy, which he enlightened afterwards by his admirable discoveries. [4] See MONTUCLA, Hist. des Mathem. vol. I. p. 623. [5] Those were _La Nuova Scientia_, and _Quesiti ed Inventioni diverse_. [6] Published at London, A. 1588. [7] He was born in the year 1564; but few if any of his works were published till after the year 1600, and his dialogues on motion not before 1638. [8] See his 4th Dialogue on Motion. [9] See Hist. de l’Academ. Roy. des Sciences, A. 1707. [10] In the year 1683, see Hist. de l’Acad. R. des Sci. A. 1707. [11] Hist. de l’Acad. R. des Sc. A. 1707, under the article _Mechanique_. [12] Viz. in 1674. [13] See his treatise _To hit a Mark_, published in 1690. [14] Philos. Trans. No. 179, p. 20. [15] In the year 1687. [16] NEWTON, Princip. Mathem. lib. ii. sect. 7. [17] Eloge de NEWTON. [18] Discours de la Cause de la Pesanteur. Leide, 1690. [19] Mem. de l’Acad. R. des Sc. A. 1716. [20] DAN. BERNOULLI, Comment. Acad. Petropol. T. 2. & 3. [21] It is also much to the honour of Mr. ROBINS, that his writings on this subject have been translated into foreign languages by men that were the best judges of their merit. I need only name MM. EULER, and LE ROY. ERRATA. Page 4. l. 5. _for_ this _read_ the 16. 9. _for_ combate _read_ combat 20. 17. _for_ tract _read_ track 26. last line of the note, _for_ M. M. _read_ MM. Transcriber’s Note: The errata have been corrected.