XXXIV 



years ; and just before his last journey to Norway, he had complained 

 of want of strength. Whilst in Norway he was very unwell, and ex- 

 hibited such symptoms of decided liver complaint as induced his 

 speedy return. During the voyage, heavy weather was experienced 

 in the North Sea, and he was very sick and ill. Qn his arrival at 

 Lowestoft, he was so weak as to be carried from his yacht to the rail- 

 way, and from thence to his bed, at his residence in Gloucester 

 Square, where his state grew so rapidly worse as to leave but faint 

 hopes of his recovery. The affection of the liver was deeper than 

 had been at first suspected, and was associated with further internal 

 disease ; and although his state was for a time alleviated, there was 

 not sufficient strength to struggle against the malady, which termi- 

 nated his valuable life on the 12th of October, 1859. 



Thorough uprightness of character was in Mr. Stephenson joined 

 with an amiable disposition, and he conciliated the affectionate regard 

 of all with whom he came into immediate relation. To those who 

 stood in need of his bounty his hand was ever open, but his bene- 

 ficence was without display, and he rejoiced in an occasion of doing 

 good unseen. His great care was for the children of old friends who 

 had been kind to him in early life ; and many young hearts, who owe 

 their present position to his kind solicitude and generosity, will mourn 

 his irreparable loss. 



Mr. JOHN WELSH, Superintendent of the Kew Observatory, was 

 born at Boreland, in the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright, on the 27th 

 of September, 1824. His father was George, the eighth son of 

 John Welsh, Esq., of Craigenputtock, a small estate in that district, 

 which had been in the family from an early period. Mr. George 

 Welsh, who was extensively engaged in agriculture, died in 1835, 

 and his widow with his two sons settled at Castle Douglas, where 

 the elder the subject of this notice continued his preparatory edu- 

 cation, and the younger died in 1841, in his 13th year. 



In November 1839, Mr. John Welsh entered the University of 

 Edinburgh, and studied Mathematics and Natural Philosophy, under 

 Professors Kelland and Forbes, with a view to the profession of a 

 Civil Engineer. He attained the highest prize but one of his year, 

 also prizes in Classics ; he also studied Geology in the lecture- 

 room and in the field, under the late Professor Jameson. 



