OUR ANNUAL MEETING. 53 



had often gone to the Secretary's house, and found him sur- 

 rounded with books, and literally up to his eyes in the work of 

 the Society and the Journal, and always most ready to give any 

 information. It was also his privilege to know the President- 

 elect, the Rev. Mr. Stubbs. He was quite justified in saying 

 that if these gentlemen were a fair specimen of the other officers, 

 it was a highly-favoured Society, and would be most useful so 

 long as they had such gentlemen to superintend their affairs. 

 He had great pleasure in proposing the toast, "The Vice- 

 President and Officers of the Postal Microscopical Society." — 

 The toast was received with enthusiasm. 



The Rev. E. T. Stubbs, in acknowledging the toast, said it 

 was his duty to thank them for so kindly receiving the health 

 of himself and brother officers. He felt it to be a very great 

 privilege to live in Bath because they lived in the neighbourhood 

 of the Secretary. The Secretary must, of course, have the Com- 

 mittee round him ; otherwise, he could not convene meet- 

 ings and expect them to attend. Thus it was he was able to 

 know a great deal of the working of the Society, and how 

 untiring the Secretary was in the discharge of his duty. He 

 thought that the Society was exceedingly fortunate in having a 

 Secretary of such experience as Mr. Allen. He hoped that the 

 other officers would please the Society as well. 



The President proposed the health of " The Visitors," and 

 especially the ladies who had honoured the Society with their 

 presence that evening. He had hoped to have seen more ladies 

 present. On a former occasion, a much larger number had been 

 present. Their absence this evening was probably due in a 

 great measure to the exceedingly unfavourable state of the 

 weather. 



Mr. W. Leigh Bernard returned thanks on behalf of the Visit- 

 ors for the kind reception accorded to them. They had enjoyed 

 the hospitality of the Society, and he hoped that it would not be 

 the last time they would be present at a similar gathering. He 

 was very glad to see the President in the chair. He felt it 

 might be said of the Society with the celebrated poet — 



" On active worth, the laurel, war bestows, 

 Peace rears her laurel for industrious brows ; 

 Nor earth uncultured yields her kind suppHes, 

 Nor heaven its flowers without a sacrifice." 



Mr. H. George, as a visitor^ also wished to thank the Society 

 for the kind way they had drank the health of the guests. He 

 also begged to respond on behalf of the ladies. On the last 



