348 DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE SURVEY CHAP, x 



and at the desk, was at last published at the close of 

 1 88 1. In bulk it considerably exceeded the previous 

 edition. A special interest attaches to it because 

 it was its author's last Survey publication. As the 

 year wore on it had become more and more evident 

 that he must seek retirement from the endless cares of 

 official life. In the course of the summer he made a 

 round of farewell visits among his staff. I accompanied 

 him through some parts of the centre of Scotland. He 

 particularly wished to see some of the Highland lakes. 

 So we made for Kenmore, and sailed up Loch Tay, 

 and then by Lochs Vennachar and Achray to Loch 

 Katrine and Loch Lomond. The scenery brought 

 back early associations to him, and mingled with these 

 reminiscences came the new interest which such 

 scenery had for him in its bearing upon his doctrine of 

 the glacial origin of lake-basins, and at the same time 

 the sadness that arose from the feeling that he should 

 probably never see these scenes again. 



The British Association held its jubilee this year 

 at York, where it had opened its career fifty years 

 before. Ramsay, as the oldest surviving president of 

 Section C, was asked to take the chair of that section 

 on this occasion. He did so, and gave the address ; 

 but the effort was a great strain upon him, and he 

 returned to Beaumaris to rest. It was definitely 

 arranged that he should retire from his Government 

 appointment at the end of the year. 



To his old friend and colleague, Mr. Howell, he 

 wrote : ( I feel grateful for the regret that our good 

 fellows feel for my retirement. I regret it too very 

 much, but in the words of the old ballad, "I'm weary 

 wi' hunting and fain would lie down." I hope I may 

 find contented rest in doing nothing but what I choose 



