X THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
works of Shakespeare, and Browning, and other English poets. He 
was also a warm friend and admirer of Canadian poets. 
The unique position which he occupied as a critic of Tennyson is 
worthy of remark. His “Study of The Princess” called forth a most 
interesting letter from the author, which will be found published in the 
“Memoir of Lord Tennyson by his son.” The letter is dated the 21st 
November, 1882. He wrote: 
“T thank you for your able and thoughtful essay on ‘The Princess.’ 
You have seen amongst other things that if women ever were to play 
such freaks, the burlesque and the tragic might go hand in hand. . . . 
Your explanatory notes are very much to the purpose, and I do not 
object to your finding parallelisms. They must always occur.” 
The letter contained some highly interesting remarks on Tenny- 
son’s method of work. 
The Laureate says in closing: “‘I find that I have written, quite 
contrary to.my custom, a letter, when I had merely intended to thank 
you for your interesting commentary.”’ 
Dr. Dawson was granted the C.M.G.; in 1890 Laval University 
conferred on him a degree of Litt.D.; and he also received an LL.D. 
from McGill University. From the date of his election to our Society 
in 1893, until the state of his health would not permit of the contin- 
uance of all these activities he gave us most valued support. He con- 
tributed to the Transactions of the Society, was Honorary Secretary 
from 1902 to 1906, and occupied the Presidential chair in 1907-8. 
Dr. Dawson’s character was of an unusually varied weave; 
business faculty, intense, unwearied energy, love of precise detail anda 
stern resolve to get the best and hold to it—these were some of the 
outstanding forms in the pattern; there was breadth and human sym- 
pathy in his life and work. A quaint sense of humour was a mellowing 
ingredient in his character; it played about his intimate conversation 
and appeared not seldom in his writings. To those of us who enjoyed 
his genial friendship memory will often renew the delight of his presence 
and conversation. 
Str SANDFORD FLEMING 
Sandford Fleming, whose death at Halifax on July 22nd, 1915, 
removed one of the charter members of the Society, was born in the 
“Lang Toun’”’ of Kirkcaldy, Fifeshire, January 7th, 1827. At the 
age of eighteen he left Glasgow on the sailing ship Brilliant, to make a 
place for himself in the new world. He landed at Quebec, after a 
passage of some six weeks, and eleven days later reached Peterboro, 
by way of Montreal, Ottawa, Kingston and Cobourg. In such leis- 
urely fashion one travelled in 1845. 
