24 



J. Platt-Barrett was " one of us " and some have known him for 

 more than forty years. He was Secretary of the Society in its 

 infancy, from its birth in 1872 until 1876, when he was elected its 

 President. Removing from London he left the Society, but on his 

 retirement from his life's work in the Deaf and Dumb School at 

 Margate, in 1908, he rejoined and has been on the Council. His 

 subsequent entomological experiences in Sicily and the terrible 

 incidents of his presence in Messina during the earthquake are 

 probably well known to you all. Just after Christmas he succumbed 

 to a heart attack and passed away at the age of 78. His collections 

 go to Horniman's Museum, Forest Hill. 



H. A. Sauze was a most regular attendant who participated in 

 our meetings for some years and acted as Hon. Librarian for a time, 

 but owing to his wife's serious ill-health had rarely been present of 

 late. As to his death I have no particulars. 



Of H. W. Martin of Stroud, a country member, I have no details. 



" Some we loved 

 That Time and Fate of all their Vintage prest, 

 Have drunk their Cup a Round or two before, 

 And one by one crept silently to Rest." 



" Ah ! make the iBost of what we yet may spend. 

 Before we too into the Dust descend." 



For some time after you did me the honour of electing me to 

 preside over your meetings, I failed to find a subject for an address, 

 which would be both interesting and instructive, neither too grave 

 nor too gay, and free from those tedious details, which, although 

 necessary for the proper presentation of a scientific argument, are 

 often wearisome in the hearing. A gleam of hope arose at last. I 

 had put into my hands the proof sheets of the Annual Address read 

 by the President of the Medical Society of London entitled 

 "Shakspere and Medecine," an admirable composition. Why could 

 not I, in a more humble way, choose for my title ? 



Shakspere and Insects. 

 Critics of our great poet never fail in their admiration for his 

 detailed and accurate knowledge of almost every subject, which 

 directly or indirectly came under his pen. Whether he used 

 fact or incident in medicine, the law, scholastic macters, history, 

 soldiery, the Church, love, royal ways, trade, not only had he the 

 superficial knowledge of the average well-informed citizen, but he 

 generally exhibits a knack of assimillating salient technical details 



