1817 William Score sby ; Lord Me faille 255 



predilection for the sea, and as an apprentice used to accom- 

 pany his father in his annual voyage. But he had the 

 advantage of an education which included attendance at 

 the lectures on Chemistry and Natural Philosophy in the 

 University of Edinburgh, where Professor John Playfair 

 showed him kindness. He prosecuted the whale-fishery 

 year after year in larger vessels, and with an increasing 

 desire to investigate the natural history of the Arctic regions 

 and the physical problems presented by them. He had 

 made the acquaintance of Sir Joseph Banks, on whom he 

 urged the importance of sending an expedition for the express 

 purpose of the scientific exploration of these northern 

 lands and seas, and in 1818 he had the satisfaction of seeing 

 his desire carried out when Captain Ross and Lieutenant 

 Parry sailed in the Isabella and Alexander. Still continuing 

 his annual whaling voyages, he published in 1820 his inter- 

 esting work giving an "Account of the Arctic Regions and 

 northern Whale-fishery," which may be regarded as the 

 basis whence the truly scientific investigation of these regions 

 took its start. From 1823 his plan of life was completely 

 changed. He resolved to qualify himself for the Church 

 by a residence in Cambridge, and spent his remaining years 

 in clerical labours, while also writing scientific papers and 

 several books. He died in 1857 at the age of sixty-eight. 

 He was elected into the Royal Society on I7th June 1824, 

 and his name is entered on the List as the Rev. William 

 Scoresby. 



Lord Melville, invited by the President, was known when 

 a commoner as Henry Dundas, and had led a stirring politi- 

 cal life in and out of parliament. He was three years Home- 

 Secretary, seven years Secretary of War, and for a brief 

 period First Lord of the Admiralty. He was raised to the 

 peerage in 1802 as the first Viscount Melville of Melville 

 and Baron Dunira. 



Major-General Sir Henry Torrens, introduced by the 

 President on 26th June, had seen service in his youth with 

 the army in Holland, of which he had some pleasant as well 

 as stirring recollections. He used to tell how on one 



