290 president's address. 



past, and suggesting to the mind instructive reflections, civil and 

 ecclesiastical. Some of the ancient architectural features {e.g. very 

 rich sedilia) have been uncovered within a few days. No foreign 

 or native scenery can exceed the charm of the river in these 

 parts, and onwards to Durham, though here and there deformed 

 by the works of man, as forsooth at Lumley, where we find the 

 inhospitable lock barring the transit of the breeding fish, and 

 sacrificing to mere unprofitable selfishness the noble salmon, one 

 of the best productions and ornaments of our waters ; for it is 

 notorious that the salmon is lost to the Wear. 



The pleasing incidents of this day were closed by the addition 

 of sixteen valuable members to our body. 



The Second Assembly, of sixteen associates, was at Featherstone 

 and Haltwhistle, on the 14th of June; when the lovely and striking 

 scenery of the country, of the wild moors, and of our noble 

 river Tyne, assuming there a very different character from what 

 it bears in this our busy mart of commerce, a pure and silver 

 stream, save when perchance the foaming torrent pours down 

 the brown and turbid waters of the mountain and the fen, gave 

 to our friends exquisite pleasure and satisfaction. 



Every one who has known these scenes, whether in his rambles 

 of exercise, or sport, or curiosity ; tracing the ancient Wall, the 

 boast of the Roman, the reproach of the destructives who levelled 

 it with the dust ; or gathering flowers by the running brook, or 

 the bluebell and gowan of the haugh ; or breathing the fragrance 

 of the blooming heather of the uplands ; will recal these hours 

 of enjoyment with delight. 



Neither can I think of them without reference to my early 

 friend, the historian of Northumberland, Mr Hodgson, to whom I 

 owe my first acquaintance with the North Tyne — an excellent 

 and gifted man, whose praise it was to give the first impulse in 

 these parts to the innocent studies of our Club ; and who passed 

 among us a blameless and useful life, respected and beloved, in 

 the duties of his holy calling, and in the pursuits of natural 

 science and archaeological research, apart from the struggles of 

 the world, and superior to the vulgar objects of selfishness and 

 ambition. 



