118 



tive vvildness of the story, and the beauty and spirit of its execution, 

 that he was able to fix in his mind, while on the way, the appropriate 

 English dress of each of the more difficult or delicate passages, and, 

 that he had nothing to do, on his return, but to commit the whole to 

 paper. His own versification is surpassingly happy in its poetical 

 diction, and its sprightly, easy and elegant flow. 



But, Mr. Peter was not merely well read in the ancient and modern 

 poets. He was well acquainted with general history, with English 

 politics and the genealogy of the English peerage. He belonged to 

 the whig school, and regarded republicanism as the dream of visionary 

 folly. He was well acquainted with the English arguments in favour 

 of free trade, but he could not see that though its doctrine might be 

 applicable to England, it might not h^ suited to the situation of a 

 country, whose capacity and resources were undeveloped by the ex- 

 penditure of capital, and whose policy was not to depress their labour- 

 ers into starvelings. 



But with many virtues and excellent companionable qualities, lie 

 saw all subjects through only certain particular interests and one par- 

 ticular country. 



The ascendancy of the aristocratic element in the British Constitu- 

 tion, might be endangered by the success of republicanism, the offi- 

 cial predominance of the peerage and gentry might be undermined by 

 the destruction of the viva voce system of voting, and whatever losses 

 a new country may incur, English commerce and English manufac- 

 tures must flourish under the auspices of/ree trade. 



Dr. Dunglison announced the decease of the Rev. William 

 Bengo Collyer, of London, a member of this Society. 



Prof. Kendall announced the death of Prof. C. F. Gauss, of 

 Gottingen, a member of this Society, who died Feb. 23, 1855, 

 aged 77. 



Mr. Pealc exhibited a model of a fire-escape, consisting of 

 a ladder of cord, with wooden steps, and so arranged that these 

 steps can be attached to one another by their ends, and extend- 

 ed as a long pole or rod, equal to the aggregate length of the 

 steps or rounds. The apparatus is provided with iron hooks, 

 by means of which it may be suspended. It is not claimed as 

 a new invention, a similar contrivance having been known 

 many years ago. 



The Conimittuc uppoinlcd lo confer with a Committee of 



