PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS. 31 



Now, lie (Mr Scot-Skirving) bad read in the earliest notices Mr Bell gave this 

 Society of the reaping-machine this account of the invention : — He said he 

 was coming home from seeing his father's reapers at work, and a strong wish 

 seized him to invent some machine to lighten the labour of his countrymen. 

 He saw a pair of garden shears hanging near, and that was his first idea of 

 clipping corn by machinery. Burns did not make " a useful plan," but he 

 sang songs which had cheered the baronial hall as well as the humble cabin ; 

 and Mr Bell, by his machine, had saved a world of trouble to the labouring 

 classes, and a vast sum of money to the agricultural world. It was now forty 

 years since this machine was invented ; and if this was a tardy acknowledg- 

 ment, they could at least say that it was the mature opinion of the people of 

 Scotland, founded on experience, that they were permanently indebted to the 

 invention of the reaping-machine in 1827 by the Rev. Patrick Bell. He 

 concluded by introducing Mr Bell to the meeting. 



The Chairman, addressing Mr Bell, said he had been invited to attend 

 this meeting of the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland in order 

 that they might mark in this public manner the high esteem they entertained 

 for his services to agriculture by the invention of " Bell's Reaping-Machine," 

 the parent from which all the others had sprung, and which had been worked 

 with so much success at Mr Bell's late brother's farm of Inchmichael, as well 

 as in many other places in Scotland. He (the Chairman) believed he was 

 speaking the universal opinion of farmers when he said that the reaping- 

 machine came to their relief at a time when manual labour was very scarce in 

 all parts of the United Kingdom, and that the machine was most effective and 

 was most usefully used on many farms in the present day both in Scotland 

 and England. His own experience taught him that Mr Bell had received the 

 universal blessing of farm labourers, old and young, as he had saved their 

 backs from the dreadful torment they used to suffer when stooping to reap 

 the crops of corn with the sickle. At the same time, he had disgusted very 

 much the sportsmen of the country, who find now, instead of the long stubble, 

 that the corn was cut so short that it would scarcely conceal a sparrow. 

 (Laughter.) On the other hand, it worked very much to the delight of those 

 who felt an interest in a luxuriant crop of turnips, which an abundant crop of 

 straw generally produced. Although the public acknowledgment of Mr Bell's 

 services as the original inventor of the reaping-machine had been long de- 

 layed, his Lordship trusted that the public manner in which the compliment 

 was now paid would be not only satisfactory to himself but to his family. As 

 Chairman of this meeting, he congratulated Mr Bell on the success of his 

 invention, and presented him, in name of those who were reaping its benefits, 

 their gratitude, and also a lasting testimonial of the value that they put upon 

 his services, not only to this country, but to other portions of the world. 

 There was one point he would mention, which he was sure Mr Bell, as a 

 minister of the gospel, weuld be gratified to hear — namely, that he had been 

 instrumental in reducing the amount of immorality which was wont to prevail, 

 as this invention had done away with the necessity of having fifty or a hun- 

 dred people, young and old, in barns or all sorts of buildings and farm offices ; 

 and no person could answer for the amount of immorality that took place. 

 There seemed to be a very unanimous opinion as to the value of Mr Bell's 

 services. The subscription had not reached the amount required — it was 

 still L.30 short of L.1000 ; but he felt so grateful for the invention that he 

 would himself be most happy to make up that sum. 



Mr Bell, on returning thanks to the Society, said— My Lord Marquis 

 and Gentlemen,— Although I cannot say that I am unaccustomed to public 

 speaking, the addresses that I am called upon to make weekly are of a very 

 different kind from that which may be expected of me this day, and I really 

 do not know what words I can use to express my feelings on this occasion, 

 the proudest day in my life. I have especially to thank the committee for 



