llowed the
appearance in 1735 of the "Systema Naturae" of Linnaeus.

Following Sir J. Hooker, the President, referring to Prof. Haeckel, who
was unable to be present, said that he was "the great apostle of the
Darwin-Wallace theory in Germany ... his enthusiastic and gallant
advocacy [having] chiefly contributed to its success in that country....
A man of world-wide reputation, the leader on the Continent of the 'Old
Guard' of evolutionary biologists, Prof. Haeckel was one whom the
Linnean Society delighted to honour." Two more German scientists were
honoured with the Medal, namely Prof. August Weismann (who was also
absent), and Prof. Eduard Strasburger, the latter paying a special
tribute to Wallace in saying: "When I was young the investigations and
the thought of Alfred Russel Wallace brought me a great stimulus.
Through his 'Malay Archipelago' a new world of scientific knowledge was
unfolded before me. On this occasion I feel it my duty to proclaim it
with gratitude." The Medal was then presented to Sir Francis Galton, who
delivered a notable speech in responding. The last on this occasion to
receive the Medal was Sir E. Ray Lankester, who, in replying to the
President's graceful speech, referred to the happy relationships which
had existed between the contemporary men of science of his own time, but
with special reference to Darwin and Wallace he said:

Never was there a more beautiful example of modesty, of unselfish
admiration for another's work, of loyal determination that the
other should receive the full merit of his independent labours and
thoughts, than was shown by Charles Darwin on that occasion....

Subsequently, throughout all their arduous work and varied
publications upon the great doctrine which they on that day
unfolded to humanity ... the same complete absence of rivalry
characterised these high-minded Englishmen, even when in some
outcomes of their doctrine they were not in perfect agreement....
I think I am able to say that great as was the interest excited by
the new doctrine in the scientific world, and wild and angry as
was the opposition to it in some quarters, few, if any, who took
part in the scenes attending the birth and earlier reception of
Darwin's "Origin of Species" had a prevision of the enormous and
all-important influence which that doctrine was destined to
exercise upon every line of human thought.... It is in i