1 867 BRITISH A SSOCIA TION AT D UNDEE 297 



To Miss Johnes he writes on the iyth July 

 from Wirksworth : * Since I left London twenty-four 

 days ago, I have been staying at Kendal, Kirkby 

 Lonsdale, Newcastle, Belper, and here. Kendal is a 

 woollen-making place, but one charming day we spent 

 on Windermere and in the neighbouring valleys. 

 Kirkby Lonsdale is charming beyond expression. It 

 lies on the River Lune, which is more beautiful 

 than Alph, the sacred river. There is no trade in the 

 town, and the people are very good people, parsons 

 and all ; the gentry are hospitable round about, if you 

 give them a chance, and the inn is old-fashioned, full 

 of daughters, lively yet sedate, who, with their very 

 handsome old mother, do not leave their guests to the 

 mercy of servants. I sometimes think of taking 

 Louisa there some day on our way to Scotland, that 

 she may know what an English river is like.' 



The British Association met at Dundee in 1867, 

 and was attended by a large concourse of geologists. 

 Ramsay formed one of the number, and though he 

 read no paper, he took part in the discussions and 

 excursions. He was especially pleased to revisit St. 

 Andrews, where nine years before he had worked for 

 three months at the Welsh Memoir, and where he had 

 made many acquaintances. His old friend, Robert 

 Chambers, who had come to live in the antique uni- 

 versity town, was present at the banquet given by the 

 Senatus to the excursionists, and afterwards had a 

 reception at his house. This was probably the last 

 time that Chambers and Ramsay met each other. 

 Chambers looked already much broken in health, 

 though he kept still his interest in geological progress. 

 He died four years afterwards. 



In the spring of 1868, in the intervals of examining 



