ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT. XXVII 



contrived, whilst passing his days in the City and on the Stock Ex- 

 change, of which he was a most respected, member, to acquire a vast 

 amount of minute and accurate scientific information, and to pursue 

 original, though, alas, too seldom published researches ; and there 

 was scarcely any department of the natural history sciences with 

 which his acquaintance was not considerable. Careless of fame and 

 brimful of benevolence, he laboured incessantly, whenever a moment 

 of leisure permitted, to advance science by every means that lay 

 within his power. He collected rare and interesting specimens at 

 any cost, not for their own sakes, but to place at the disposal of any 

 competent person who had the requisite knowledge and determination 

 to investigate the subjects they could serve to elucidate. Before 

 microscopic science was in fashion, he was at work encouraging the 

 makers of microscopes, suggesting improvements, purchasing beauti- 

 ful instruments, and testing their application. When lithography 

 was in its infancy in England, he foresaw what could be done with 

 the rising art ; and, sparing no expense, found a zealous and talented 

 ally in the late Mr. Hullmandel for experimenting on his sug- 

 gestions. His knowledge of some branches of zoology and palaeon- 

 tology was minute and curious, as well as of parts of botany. Trilo- 

 bites and Zoophytes were among his favourite subjects ; upon the 

 former he communicated valuable materials and information to the 

 great work of Alexander Brongniart on the Fossil Crustacea ; about 

 the latter he possessed a store of novel and original information, 

 which I fear is in great part lost with him. The subject of the fos- 

 silization of wood was one which he pursued even to the last ; and 

 only two months before his death I received a letter from him, accom- 

 panying some specimens illustrative of his views, and inquiring about 

 others. In the 5th volume of the 2nd series of our Transactions is 

 published a valuable paper by him on this subject, containing an ex- 

 planation of the phsenomena exhibited by partially silicified wood, 

 and of the progressive steps in the process of petrifaction. In the 

 same volume is a memoir upon " Some Species of Orthocerata," with 

 an account of the siphon of A.ctinoceras and the foundation of the 

 genus Ormoceras. The many curious researches concerning the 

 Orthoceratites that have interested palseontologists of late years had 

 their origin in his discoveries. Some time before he had made 

 mineralogical communications to the Society. His name is con- 

 stantly cited in numerous foreign treatises. But the scantiness of 

 his writings can give no true notion of his learning and his influence 

 on the progress of science during his time. Not an expedition 

 started for foreign discovery, but he was in at the commencement to 

 advise and direct the natural history arrangements. I am one of 

 many who owe much to the sound sense and surprising knowledge of 

 Charles Stokes. He was the Ellis of our times. I have spoken only 

 of his scientific learning ; he was as remarkable for literary, anti- 

 quarian, musical, and artistic knowledge. He died in London, deeply 

 regretted, in the last week of December 1853, at the age of 70. His 

 pleasant and wise presence will be missed for many a year. 



