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June 28, 1848. My Dear Sir, — I cannot resist the tempta- 

 tion to congratulate you on your election to the Presidency 

 of the Manchester Philosophical Society. I think the mem- 

 bers have used a sound discretion in the selection, and I am 

 heartily glad, after all our squabbles, to find you in a position 

 to which you are justly entitled. I am yours faithfully, 

 W. Fairbairn. To Eaton Hodgkinson, Esq." 



The bust forms a companion to one of another distinguished 

 member of this Society, the late Dr. William Henry, F.R.S., 

 and both as a likeness and a work of art does the sculptor 

 credit. 



On the motion of Mr. Spence; seconded by Dr. R.Angus 

 Smith, it was resolved unanimously : — '' That the thanks of 

 the Society be given to the donors of the bust of the late 

 Professor Eaton Hodgkinson, F.R.S." 



Mr. Spence brought under the notice of the Society a 

 ball of the dried leaves and stems of a plant imported from 

 the West Coast of Africa, in the Kingdom of Dahomey. 

 This plant, which grows spontaneously in great abundance, 

 is used by the natives in dying cloth, to which it is said to 

 give a good but not very permanent blue colour. 



The parties who have imported these leaves are Messrs. 

 Burnet and Thwaites, of Manchester, and they state that 

 two years ago the sample had been examined without any 

 result. About two months ago, Mr. Spence gave Dr. E. 

 Schunck, F.R.S., a portion of them, he kindly undertaking 

 to see whether they contained indigo. Circumstances pre- 

 vented Dr. Schunck, until very lately, from entering upon 

 the investigation, and the importers being anxious as to the 

 matter, Mr. Spence, assisted by Mr. Bottomley, undertook 

 the investigation, and at once found that the plant contained 

 indigo perfectly formed, and which was easily extracted by 

 the usual modes of deoxidisation and solution, the indigo 

 being then precipitated pure and of a beautiful deep coppery 



