XXXI 



never have bestowed a thought on natural history. The complete 

 work, including fifty-one letters, of which the whole of nine and parts 

 of twenty-two others are from the pen of Mr. Spence, went through 

 six editions prior to the decease of Mr. Kirby. In 1856 a seventh 

 edition was published by the surviving author, more compact in form 

 and lower in price than any which had preceded. 



Seeking further to improve his health, Mr. Spence journeyed with 

 his family to the continent in 1826, and remained abroad for eight 

 years, during which he visited many of the principal cities of Europe, 

 and passed the summer months in Switzerland. After returning to 

 England he took up his residence in London, and employed his 

 leisure in the promotion of science, particularly in the formation of 

 the Entomological Society in 1833. Of that Society he remained, 

 since Mr. Kirby's death, the sole honorary English member, a 

 distinction now confined exclusively to foreigners. In 1847, and on 

 other occasions, he was elected President of the Society, and raised it 

 by his exertions while in the chair, from weakness and depression, to 

 strength of numbers and activity. He frequently attended the 

 Society's meetings, as well as those of the Royal and Linnean Society, 

 until increasing deafness deprived him of the pleasure of intercourse ; 

 but though thus withheld from his fellows by infirmity, he was always 

 accessible when his advice was wanted, and ready to take trouble 

 where encouragement could be given or assistance bestowed. 



Mr. Spence was elected a Fellow of the Linnean Society in 1806, 

 and of the Royal Society in 1834, and was chosen into their re- 

 spective councils. He was author of numerous papers published 

 in the Transactions of the Linnean and Entomological Society. 



During his parliamentary career he laboured to promote measures 

 for rendering Great Britain entirely independent of foreign commerce, 

 and published a pamphlet on the subject, which at the time attracted 

 much attention. He died on the 6th of January, 1860, at the age 

 of 77. 



THEOPHILUS THOMPSON, M.D., was the son of Nathaniel Thomp- 

 son, Esq., and was born at Islington on the 20th of September, 1807. 

 His professional studies were commenced at St. Bartholomew's Hos- 

 pital, prosecuted at Dublin and Paris, and completed at Edinburgh, 

 where he took his degree in 1830. He settled in practice in London, 



