VIII THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



of men and things afforded him abundant matter for apt illustration. 

 His "Ecclesiastical History of Newfoundland" is a household book 

 throughout the country; there the patient gleanings of twenty-five 

 years' research are garnered and the old traditions of pioneer catholicity 

 in Terra Nova, which were on the point of perishing are stored for 

 future generations. The Archbishop was also a good raconteur — 

 he both wrote and told a story well. Some of his fugitive pieces set 

 off, under an agreeable veil of fiction, the peculiar characteristics, the 

 rough but generous hearts of Newfoundland fisher folk. 



He also had considerable metrical gifts, and wrote verse well. 

 Just a few weeks before his death he translated into stirring English 

 numbers an Italian poem on the destruction of Louvain. His "Flag 

 of Newfoundland" has reached the hearts of all his countrymen, and 

 has already become our National anthem. 



Of late years the constantly increasing demands of his episcopal 

 duties prevented Archbishop Howley from devoting as much time to 

 literary pursuits as he would have wished; still, he utilised every 

 spare moment for reading, writing and research, and left behind him 

 large accumulations of unpublished manuscripts. 



Among the deceased prelate's many and rare gifts, the gift of 

 tongues deserves mention. Italian and French he knew very well; 

 and he had some acquaintance with German, Spanish and Celtic 

 Church Latin he could both write and speak with ease and fluency; 

 and in that most difficult department of classical scholarship — lapidary 

 inscriptions — he was a perfect master. 



(3) William Saunders. 



By the death of Dr. William Saunders, which took place at his 

 residence in London, Ontario, on the 13th September, 1914, the Society 

 lost one of its few remaining charter members. Dr. Saunders was 

 associated with the Society from its foundation; his interest in our 

 welfare was always most keen, and in our councils and activities he 

 was prominent and influential, as he was in all the other varied rela- 

 tions of his life. 



Born in Devonshire in 1836 he came to Canada at the age of 12 

 years with his parents, who settled at London, Ontario. Early in 

 life he studied chemistry and pharmacy and his wide botanical knowl- 

 edge enabled him to found a most successful business in the manu- 

 facture of pharmaceutical preparations, which business he conducted 

 until 1886. In 1882 he became Public Analyst for Western Ontario, 

 having previously held the office of President of the Ontario College of 



