276 SJK RODERICK'S PAPER. CHAP, xvu 



section " The Results of his Researches among the older 

 rocks of the Scottish Highlands." He did full justice 

 to Mr. Peach's discovery of organic remains of the 

 Lower Silurian age in the crystalline limestone of 

 Sutherland ; similar to those which occur in the Lower 

 Silurian rocks of North America. Sir Roderick also said 

 in his paper, that as regarded the ichthyolitic flagstones 

 of Caithness, " he had made various interesting additions 

 to his former knowledge, particularly as derived from 

 the researches of Mr. Robert Dick of Thurso."* 



But Sir Roderick made further mention of Robert 

 Dick at the public meeting held in the Leeds Town Hall 

 on the 29th of September 1858. In fact, his eulogium 

 of Dick constituted the principal part of his address. 

 We have already given part of it in the preface to this 

 book, and need not here repeat it. Sir Roderick con- 

 cluded his speech by saying that he had referred to the 

 facts relating to the marvellous knowledge acquired by 

 this humble working baker of Thurso, "in order that 

 the audience might deduce a practical application." 



Mr. Peach immediately sent to his friend at Thurso 

 the newspaper in which the report of Sir Roderick 

 Murchison's speech appeared, and he also congratulated 

 Dick upon the cordial manner in which the baronet had 

 referred to his scientific knowledge. Dick, as we shall 

 afterwards find, did not think so much of the speech as 

 Peach did ; but, after about fifteen minutes' deliberation, 

 he scribbled off the following stanzas, and sent them to 

 Charles Peach as his answer. Peach sent the verses to 



* See Leeds Meeting of the British Association, 1858. 



