87 



the rainfall registered at Swindeu was 945 inches, or an average 

 of 45 inches per year. Taking ten months of each of these 

 years, and including this year, the rainfall equalled in the aggre- 

 gate 793 inches, or 36 inches each year. But, during this year, 

 up to the end of October, the fall only amounted to 23-33 inches, 

 or 12'67 inches less than the average for the past 22 years. This 

 accounted for the serious position in which Burnley had been 

 placed. Councillor Lancaster spoke of the difficulties Burnley 

 had to encounter in regard to the construction of waterworks, 

 and said the cost of the Cant Clough works could not be estim- 

 ated ; the ratepayers might possibly have to spend twice the 

 amount they originally anticipated. The water itself was par- 

 ticularly pure, in fact, few better samples could be found in 

 England. Dr. Tovey did not agree with the last remark, because 

 Bm'nley water contained organic impurities ; as a naturalist he 

 had been several times much interested in it. 



SIR WALTER SCOTT : HIS LIFE AND WORKS. 



By J. 0. 8. THURSBY, J. P. November 22nd. 1887. 



In the opening portion of his paper the reader stated that he 

 had taken upon himself tlie task of attempting to paint in words 

 the life and the hfe-work, the struggles, the victories, the joys 

 and the sorrows that awaited one who has an everlasting claim 

 to the admiration, the respect, and also to the sympathy of cul- 

 tivated men and women. He continued, " My effort is, to describe 

 his life and his life-work ; his life — his actual daily life, the eventu- 

 alities of his bodily existence ; and his life-work, his literary life as 

 shown by the memorials of his imagination, observation, and 

 invention, the breadth of his genius, the creations of his muse. 

 I shall endeavour in dealing with my subject on the one hand 

 not to weary you with long extracts firom poems or novels, or 

 to fill the time allotted to me by any too elaborate attempt at 

 criticism ; and on the other hand, I have been anxious to avoid 

 offering you merely a second-hand condensation of diary — the 

 terribly dry bones of a dead man which only a miracle-worker 

 can clothe with flesh." 



Early Youth. 



Scott was born on the 15th August, 1771. At the age of 

 eighteen months he was attacked by a fever, which left behind 

 it an incurable lameness. In other respects the youth was of 

 that healthy physique that defies sickness. As Carlyle remarks, 



