23 
Mr. Shepheard has continued to send us surface nettings of marine 
living diatoms, interesting notes on which, by Mr. Siddall, were given in 
last year’s Report. 
We regret to record the death of Mr. John Griffiths, one of the 
“Old Brigade,” and an enthusiastic worker in our Section. 
PHOTOGRAPHIC SECTION. 
This Section has held seven meetings during the Session. The 
exhibit at the Conversazione was equal both in merit and interest to 
those of any previous years. Several lectures, fully illustrated, were 
given in the Lecture Theatre, including the following :— 
December 12th.—‘ Dolgelley.” Mountains and Moorlands— 
Torrents and Woodlands-—With some of the Wild Plants 
found there, by Dr. C. Theodore Green, F.L.S., &e. 
January 23rd.—‘ The Great Delhi Durbar of 191],” illustrated 
by Lantern Slides of various scenes and incidents in . 
Their Majesties’ Tour, kindly lent by Messrs. Burroughs 
Wellcome & Co., depicting Their Majesties leaving 
Portsmouth—A typical scene at the Durbar, 1908— 
Amusements on board the ‘“ Medina”—The King and 
Queen at Bombay—Scenes at the Durbar, in Delhi, 
1911—Hunting scenes during the tour—The King and 
Queen at Calcutta—Scenes and incidents on the return 
voyage—King and Queen leaving the ‘‘ Medina” at 
Portsmouth—King and Queen leaving Thanksgiving 
Service at St. Paul’s Cathedral. By Mr. Frank Simpson. 
April 10th.—‘‘The River Dee.” Its origin, navigation, and 
suggested improvements—Old Charters — Historical 
features, including Dee Mills, Bridge, and Causeway, 
Shotwick and Aldford Castles, illustrated by about 90 
Lantern Slides, by Mr. Frank Simpson. W. H. Den- 
son, Esq., J.P., presided. 
LITERATURE SECTION. 
In the Session of 1912-1913, two contributions of more than usual 
freshness and interest were provided for the patrons of the Literary 
Section. The earlier of these was a lecture on “Machiavelli,” by Mr. J. K. 
Wilkins, M.A., B.Sc., Headmaster of the City and County School, Chester. 
A well-defined and luminous picture was displayed of the man who, in the 
strictly political sense, can hardly escape inclusion among the most sinister 
. figures that ever devoted themselves to public life. Reservations, indeed, 
are absolutely essential in a fair estimate of the immortal Florentine 
statesman ; a passionate love of Italy, an untiring crusade to bring about 
that unity of his native land which has only been definitely accomplished 
within the last fifty years, an instinctive love of human freedom in all 
countries, cannot be denied him; but neither can it be disputed that his 
precepts for the government of a state cynically excluded all recognition 
of morality, of honour, of truth, of conscience. Machiavelli’s ideal ruler 
of men was Cesare Borgia. Of course, we have had within living memory, 
at the hands of an Oxford Professor of History, the apotheosis of a 
sovereign at least as infamous as any of the Borgia. But when Froude 
set himself the task of reanimating, of transfiguring, the personality of 
Henry VIII., he merely lent additional and needless emphasis to the 
general conviction that he had not the faintest sense of humour. 
Whether his hero was cajoled and outwitted by contemporary monarchs 
abroad, or revenged himself at home by the betrayal, by the slow 
hounding to death, by the outright murder of the wives or ministers of 
whom he had grown tired, Froude remained prostrate, in solemn 
adoration, before an idol who incarnated in his own person the combined 
