REV. MR CLARK'S ADDRESS. 127 



Their kindly Influence; not these alone 

 Which strike ev'n eyes incurious ; hut each moss, 

 Each shell, each crawling insect, holds a rank 

 Important in the plan of Him who fram'd 

 This scale of beings ; holds a rank, which lost 

 Would break the chain, and leave behind a gap 

 Which Nature's self would rue." 



Since our last Anniversary, we have to lament the sudden 

 death of the Rev. Andrew Baird, one of the Founders of the 

 Club, and its President in the second year.* 



We have likewise to regret the departure from among us of Dr 

 F. Douglas, who has left our shores for India. The members of 

 the Club, I am sure, unite with me in wishing him every success 



* The Rev. Andrew Baird was the second son of the Rev. James Baird of 

 Swinton in Berwickshire. He was born at Eccles in the same county, and 

 received his preliminary education at the Grammar-School in Kelso. On the 

 death of his father, the family became settled in Edinburgh, where Mr B. pur- 

 sued and completed the course of study prescribed for those who enter into the 

 Church of Scotland. While at the University, Mr B. paid much more than the 

 nsaal attention of students to Natural History, and was amongst the most dis- 

 tinguished of Professor Jameson's pupils. He was one of the founders of the 

 " Plinian Society/' which had considerable influence in making Natural History 

 more popular with the students than it had previously been. He was also one 

 of the original members of this Club, and took an active part in its proceedings, 

 until his mind and time became almost entirely occupied with the duties of 

 the parish of Cockburnspath, of which he was the minister ; and with the dis- 

 cussions that led to the severance of a large proportion of its clergymen from 

 the Establishment. He was amongst those who deemed it to be their duty to 

 secede ; and, joining the " Free Church," he laboured zealously amongst the 

 flock that followed him, and loved him, until his too early death. He died at 

 Oldhamstocks, on the morning of Sabbath, June 22. His health, which for 

 several months had been in a declining state, seriously gave way about three 

 weeks before his death, which came, however, rather suddenly and unexpected. 



Mr Baird was a man of retiring and unobtrusive habits, fond of society, and 

 yet rather forming a part of the company than amalgamating with it. He took 

 great delight in natural scenery, and was hence familiar with every grand and 

 picturesque object and view in his parish and native county ; and he drew, 

 with admirable skill, the scenes he loved so well. He was an able and eloquent 

 preacher. Professional avocations checked the progress he had early made in 

 Natural History, but he advocated and loved the science to the end ; and his 

 latest effort was the delivery of some Lectures on its advantages as a study, in 

 the Mechanics' Institute at Dunbar. He contributed much to the Geology and 

 Botany of our district ; but he was more an acute and accurate observer than 

 an author, and published nothing with his name excepting the history of the 

 parish of Cockburnspath, In the new Statistical Account of Scotland. 



