XXXV. WORK IN THE UPPER HOUSE 175 



ment to geology. He has evinced this, not only in 

 keeping abreast with its progress, and accompanying 

 its workers in the field, but also in the publication of 

 works on geology, marked by his own literary charm. 

 His recent works on the scenery of Switzerland and of 

 England have done much to create a deep appreciation 

 and sympathy for the science among the thinking and 

 educated public. 



" Whether, therefore, from old associations, or from 

 the special nature of his geological researches, or from 

 the fascination of his geological works, the Council of 

 the Geological Society feel that he is a most fitting 

 recipient of the first gold medal struck in accordance 

 with the testamentary dispositions of our venerable 

 Fellow, Sir Joseph Prestwich." 



Professor Bonney, in reply, read the following letter, 

 which had been forwarded to him by the recipient : 



" Mr. President — I should have felt it a great 

 compliment in any case that the Geological Society 

 should have bestowed upon me one of their medals, but 

 I am specially gratified to have received the first of 

 the Medals instituted in honour of my old friend. Sir 

 Joseph Prestwich. It is now more than forty years 

 since I first visited the valley of the Somme under his 

 guidance, and that of M. Boucher de Perthes. Since 

 then I have had the advantage of making many most 

 instructive excursions with him. On those occasions 

 we were out early and late. Meals constantly gave 

 way to gravel-pits. On one occasion I spent a week 

 with him in Paris, — at least if we can be said to have 

 been in Paris, when I think that we were never there 

 between 7 o'clock in the morning and 8 in the evening, 

 and I look back on those expeditions with the greatest 

 interest. I shall value the Medal extremely, both as 

 a mark of the approval of the Council, and also in 

 memory of one whom I esteemed so highly, and to 

 whom I owed so much. It is a matter of great regret 

 to me that absence from England has precluded me 

 from attending to receive it personally." 



The absence from England, to which he refers 

 above, was by reason of a visit to Biarritz, 

 whither he started with Lady Avebury, Eric, 



