The Life of Sir Rowland Hill and the

i855-6o] K.C.B. 359
member of the Royal Society, my recommendation
being signed by the Duke of Argyll, the Astronomer
Royal, Sir Roderick Murchison, and several other
distinguished members ; this honour being followed
a year later by my admission to that inner circle,
the Royal Society Club. Later still, viz., in 1867,
I had the honour to be elected a member of the
Council of the Royal Society, though increasing in-
firmity soon compelled me to withdraw.
Early in 1860, the twenty-fourth year, I may
observe, from that in which my attention was first
seriously turned to the reform of the Post Office,
Her Majesty was pleased to confer upon me the
honour of Knight Commander of the Bath ; an
honour at once unsolicited and unexpected. The
first notification of this gracious intention was
received in the following letter from Lord Elgin,
then Postmaster-General :
" 30th January, 1 860.
" MY DEAR MR. HILL, I beg leave to enclose for your perusal a
note which I have received from Lord Palmerston.
" Permit me at the same time to assure you of the great pleasure
which I experience in conveying to you this proof of Her Majesty's
appreciation of your distinguished services.
" Very sincerely yours,
"ELGIN AND KINCARDINE."
[Enclosure."]
"94, Piccadilly, 30 th January, 1860.
" MY DEAR LORD ELGIN, I have much pleasure in informing
you that the Queen has been graciously pleased to approve of
Mr. Rowland Hill being made a Knight Commander of the Civil
Order of the Bath.
" Yours sincerely,
" PALMERSTON."
By a pleasing coincidence, of which I was, however,
at the moment quite unaware, the honour of C.B.