v PROFESSOR AT OWENS COLLEGE 117 



This was too good a joke to pass over, and I at 

 once accepted, fully believing that my reply would be 

 delivered to the writer in the municipal madhouse, 

 and, of course, I have never again heard from him. 



I received other letters from the same locality, but 

 from another individual, of almost as original a charac- 

 ter. Again I thought I would give the Barcelona 

 madmen a chance, and I said it would greatly gratify 

 me and my family to receive the handsome present 

 which their club proposed to send me, but, alas ! the 

 promised work of the goldsmith's art never arrived, 

 and I have reluctantly come to the conclusion that 

 the greater part of the population of Barcelona is 

 demented. 



In 1 86 1 the meeting of the British Association was 

 held in Manchester, and I was one of the local secre- 

 taries, Sir William Fairbairn being President. Having 

 held both offices, I can say that the anxiety and labour 

 accompanying the office of local secretary are far 

 greater than those which fall to the lot of president. 

 My colleagues in 1861 were Mr. Alfred Neild, Mr. R. 

 D. Darbishire, Professor Clifton, F.R.S., and Dr. 

 Arthur Ransome, F.R.S., all of whom, with the excep- 

 tion of Mr. Neild, I am glad to say, are still (1906) alive. 



That public lecturers should be able to make 

 their voices heard to a large audience is sometimes 

 not realised by scientific men. I have always re- 

 membered this fact, and have urged the advisability 

 of appointing for such purposes men who are not only 

 distinguished in science but who have also good lungs. 

 Fairbairn, who was one of Nature's noblemen, a 

 charming old gentleman, most suave and agreeable, 

 was fortunate in possessing a powerful voice. He 

 made an excellent President and spoke out like a man, 

 having had to shout at the men in his boiler-shops. 



