History of the Society. 39 



have ever had before at the beg-inniiig- of a Session, our 

 immediate prosperity would seem to be assured. 



I cannot let this opportunity pass without reminding' you 

 of the gratuitous labours so freely rendered by our Treasurer 

 and our Secretary. The amount of work that has been done 

 recently by Mr M. H. ATKerrow and Mr George W. Shirley 

 in their respective capacities cannot, I am sure, be too highly 

 appreciated. 1 should also like to publicly thank the local 

 Press for its unwavering support of our Society since its 

 institution. 



I shall end my remarks to-night by urging upon our 

 Members the desirability of co-operation. If our Society is 

 to go on and prosper, it must be by the united efforts of us all. 

 I wish that my address on this memorable occasion, the 

 Jubilee of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History 

 and Antiquarian Society, might have been more worthy and 

 more illuminating'. I frankly apologise for its shortcomings, 

 but I assure you that none of our members can ever have had 

 a more earnest desire for the welfare of our Society. Little 

 more than two years ago, in my Presidential address, I recom- 

 mended to your notice the motto engraved over the gateway 

 of Trinity College, Cambridge : how suggestive are these 

 words — Lampada tradam — " I will hand on the torch." The 

 torch of study and research which calls for the constant 

 attention of the bearer, illuminating as it goes on its way the 

 dark places of ignorance, and which at length is only relin- 

 quished to be handed on and as zealously tended by those who 

 come after. 



May the members of our Society always realise the 

 inheritance received from those who have gone before them 

 and who instituted, just fifty years ago, the Dumfriesshire and 

 Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society. 



