1859- BRITISH ASSOCIATION MEETING. 349 



help uttering, when I saw them, a cry of joy. They are 

 good for any man to see poet, painter, philosopher. He 

 ought to get good from them. 



" There were two Museums, one Archaeological, the other 

 Geological, but my lungs would not allow me to visit either. 

 I went to the second Conversazione solely to see the electric 

 lights again, and after witnessing them went home." 



His warm sympathies were called forth at this time on 

 behalf of one of his colleagues, Professor Kelland, whom 

 he had hoped to meet at the Aberdeen meetings, but who, 

 instead, was lying with fractured limb at a railway station, 

 near which a collision had occurred. On returning home", 

 George sent him a full account of proceedings, as the only 

 method open to him of sending a ray of light into the sick- 

 chamber of his friend. The letter has been published in 

 full ; l we take from it, in part, to complete our sketch. " I 

 write you mainly to ask if I can do anything for you, and to 

 beg that you will not hesitate to command me to the utmost. 

 It will be the greatest pleasure to serve you in any way ; 

 meanwhile, I note down a point or two about the British 

 Association at Aberdeen, which may not be uninteresting. 



" We had a numerous meeting. Great are the attractions 

 of a Prince, and had he [Prince Albert] remained through- 

 out the week, we should certainly have had to hold our 

 meetings alfresco, and to bivouac in the open air. Wisely, 

 however, he gave but one day to the sections, and the stir 

 moderated thereafter. . . . We had a Red Lion dinner on 

 the Monday, when Owen presided, and about sixty men 

 from all the sections sat down. We broke up very early, 

 but not before Blackie had astonished them with one of his 

 songs. I welcome these dinners for the opportunity they 



1 "North British Review," Article " Professor George Wilson." 

 February 1860. 



