TRANSACTIONS. 161 
He could tell of an improvement in the roads of the parish within the 
twenty years preceding the date of his book so great that one horse 
could now do the work formerly done by two. He could also say 
that “ within these twenty years the poor people are both better fed 
and clothed. At that period they had no butcher meat, and few 
or no hogs at all.” At the period of writing, he says that there was 
scarcely a day labourer but kept a hog, and laid in some quantity of 
meal at Martinmas. He remembered when there was seldom any 
good fresh meat to be had from about Christmas till the new grass 
came in the spring, but in his day it was to be had throughout the 
whole year in great plenty and of good quality. Very probably 
the generation a hundred years hence will look back on us, as we 
now look back on the generation in which Dr Burnside lived and 
as he looked on those further back still, and wonder how we fared 
with fewer comforts and fewer means of communication with other 
places. It may be well to remember that while we cannot wish 
back the good old times, we may yet believe that then as now there 
were men and women with good heads and good hearts, and that 
wisdom neither begins nor ends with the people of our own times, 
It is pleasant also to know that it is not true that the poor are 
poorer. What were rare luxuries to the poor are now easily 
obtained by the many. 
Field Meeting. 11th of May. . 
A visit was paid to Comlongan Castle and Ruthwell Church. 
The famous Runic Cross and the old tombs were inspected. 
Explanations were made by the Rev. J. M‘Farlan and Mr Camp- 
bell Douglas, the architect of the part of the Church in which the 
cross stands. Mr Robert Barbour, Solicitor, Maxwelltown; Mr 
Davidson, Teacher, Ruthwell ; and the Rev. Mr Milroy, Penpont, 
were elected members. 
14th of May. 
At a meeting of the Council the honorary secretary, Mr Robert 
Barbour, resigned his office, and received the thanks of the Society, 
on the motion of Mr John Neilson. On the motion of Mr Robert 
Barbour, seconded by Mr Neilson, Dr Edward James Chinnock 
was elected honorary secretary. 
