president's address. 33 



incurious people can imagine, who have no such recitals about 

 the places in which they were born, or the fields that nurtured 

 them 1 What is it, but this rational and virtuous pride for one's 

 country, which is the flame and soul of patriotism?" These are 

 considerations which, I trust, will never be lost sight of, as 

 giving great inducements to continue the researches which are 

 the express objects of this Club ; and I would here take occasion 

 to observe, that as the intermixture of such studies with the 

 active professional and mercantile occupations of many of our 

 Members is calculated to promote health, as well as mental im- 

 provement, it is much to be wished that a conviction of this 

 would induce a greater number to join the excursions, and to 

 follow out the objects of this Society on a systematic and more 

 extended plan. 



It appears to me that if a greater number of officers could be 

 found, willing to act as Secretaries in two or three separate 

 departments, the efficiency of our Club might be greatly in- 

 creased. At present, a selection is made of six places to be 

 visited, and suitable arrangements are made, and communicated 

 by printed circulars to the Members, as to railway conveyance} 

 the time and place of meeting, the dinner-hour, and so forth; 

 but if it were possible, in addition to this, to have a more 

 detailed programme — some brief references to county or other 

 works, stating the general character of the local antiquities and 

 scenery — the best modes of obtaining access thereto — the locality 

 best suited for Botanical or Geological rambles, or Antiquarian 

 research, and the co-operation, whenever possible, of one or more 

 local guides, — these data and facilities would, I have no doubt, 

 add much to the enjoyment of the Members, and induce many 

 to join the excursions. To this I would propose a further 

 addition, viz., that a printed form — a classified schedule of 

 suggestive inquiries — should be given to all excursionists, who 

 are willing to make memoranda of the results of their observa- 

 tions. By this means many isolated facts might be preserved, 

 which now escape being recorded altogether. Many an observer 

 takes notice of matters which he would willingly insert at the 

 time, with all the freshness and accuracy of immediate observa- 



VOL. III. PT. I. E 



