president's address. 11 



from the sands; and its features are such as to afford a rich 

 treat to the Artist, the Antiquary, and the Geologist. The fine 

 marine scenery here has been delineated in several admirable 

 paintings by various Artists, and especially by Richardson, of 

 Newcastle, and Carmichael. The Antiquary reverences a spot 

 which teems with marvellous histories; and a deep tide of 

 recollection flows upon his mind, as the venerable ruins of Lin- 

 disfarne are gradually unfolded to his view. Poetic visions, 

 consecrated by the muse of Scott, invest the Island with a deep 

 interest to the lovers of romance ; and the Architect will find 

 many lessons of his art deeply furrowed in the ancient walls, 

 and rich mouldings, and clustered columns of the stately ruins 

 of the monastery. The Geologist, even from a distance, revels in 

 a view of some of the most remarkable features of the North of 

 England, presented by the bold basaltic cliffs, the mountain 

 limestone, and the sandstone caverns of Holy Island. It is 

 curious to observe the amazing number of little points, or knobs 

 of sand, raised by sand worms ; these, when rendered prominent 

 by the broad shadows projected by the setting sun, give a for- 

 cible impression of the amazing operations of animal life dis- 

 persed through Nature's works, whether in the sea or dry land — 

 in the midst of luxuriant cultivation, or in a barren plain of 

 sand. The ocean is ever beautiful and sublime : its mighty 

 waves and long lines of foaming billows were pressed onwards 

 by a strong north-east wind. On the south margin of our view, 

 rose the towers of Bamburgh, perched on the summit of basaltic 

 cliffs, and in the distance lay the Fern Islands. Towards the 

 west, the eye ranges over the rich farming district of Norham- 

 shire, and the prospect is bounded by Cheviot ^ frowning in the 

 rear.' Northward, a line of sandy coast, and rocks of the coal 

 formation, extend towards Berwick, and the moors of Lamberton 

 terminate the view in this direction." 



The Fourth Field Meeting was held at Castle Eden, where 

 I had the pleasure of meeting the following Members : — The 

 Bevs. G. C. Abbes, A. Bethune, and W. Greenwell; Dr. Embleton; 

 and Messrs Joseph Blacklock, G. Bulman, Rowland Burden, R. Y. 

 Green, Albany Hancock, W. Hutton, C . T. Maling, F. J. Peck, 



