Proceedings of the society. 369 



study of human nature comes within the scope of your subject, 

 then I also, to some extent at least, have been a student of 

 natural history. If anyone asks why I have come to this 

 meeting, I have honestly two very good reasons, one official 

 and one personal. My official reason may be described thus — 

 I have laid it down as a principle, on which I have consistently 

 acted during the past two years, that wherever I found a body 

 of my fellow-citizens who were pursuing some unselfish object 

 for the good of the city, for the good of the citizens, there it 

 was — if I were permitted — my duty as Lord Provost to go, 

 and to put myself alongside those who were thus pursuing a 

 high end. My personal reason was something like this — I 

 remember the advice of my good old mother — " Always, if 

 possible, keep company with people wiser than yourself ; " and 

 I rejoice to join for a little time the company of ladies and 

 gentlemen who are engaged in pursuits outside my proper 

 sphere. Will you allow me to join viva voce with the multitude 

 of those who have sent congratulations on the past histc-y and 

 the present position of the Natural History Society of Glasgow? 

 I rejoice to have had the little glimpse into its past history 

 which the Chairman has afforded us. We are happy to think 

 that the little seed planted fifty years ago has grown so 

 vigorously, and that so much good, honest work has been done 

 from year to year. I think it is eminently desirable, in a 

 great city like Glasgow, that we should have societies and 

 agencies which take their members away from the city into 

 some of the fairest and brightest scenes, where they may visit 

 Nature, and drink in all the sweet, invigorating influences 

 which she is continually exerting upon us. I desire to express 

 the very great pleasure and satisfaction with which I look on 

 the existence and the success of such a Society as this. I am 

 proud to hear of the great names that have been connected 

 with the Society in the past, and I rejoice to think that, though 

 modesty on his own part and a respect for the modesty of others 

 may have hindered the Chairman from naming many- other men 

 still living, there are in the Society to-day names which those 

 who come after them will look upon with the highest respect. 

 I shall not longer detain the company from the things that 

 are still in store for it, but I desire to offer my congratulations 



