ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT. 145 



and he was obliged to resign his office, in such a state of health that 

 little hope was entertained of his recovery. But he has revived ; and 

 restored to the power of moderate exertion, he has returned to the 

 inquiries, some of which have this day obtained your approbation. 

 He desires me to tell you, that while strength remains to him he will 

 continue to pursue those inquiries. He bids me also to assure you, 

 that his retirement will be cheered and enlightened by this proof 

 that he is remembered here ; and that you will have added essen- 

 fially to the enjoyment of his remaining life. I have witnessed often 

 what he suffered in our service. He will now feel that those days 

 of toil and nights without repose, — the drops of life drawn from his 

 very heart, — were not expended in vain. 



After the other proceedings had been completed, and the Officers 

 and Council elected, the President proceeded to address the meeting. 



ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT, 



LEONARD HORNER, Esa., F.R.S. L.&E. 



Gentlemen, — I congratulate you on the very satisfactory report 

 which you have this day received from your Council on the present 

 state of the Society. The number of our Fellows is greater than it 

 was at the last Anniversary ; and while we lament the loss of several 

 of our Ordinary members, we have this consolation, that we do not 

 number among them any of those known to the world as active pro- 

 moters of our science ; and that we have replaced our losses not only 

 numerically, but with increased strength. 



Although the active duties of a physician in great practice, ren- 

 dered still more laborious to him by the large portion of his valuable 

 time which he each day devoted to the relief of the sick poor, left little 

 leisure to my old and excellent friend Dr. James MacDonnell of 

 Belfast for the active pursuit of science, I cannot allow this occasion 

 to pass without paying a tribute to his virtues, and to the ardent, I 

 may say enthusiastic interest he took in the advancement of science, 

 and especially in the great general views of Geology. His known at- 

 tachment to the objects of our pursuit pointed him out in the early 

 days of the Society as well-worthy of being enrolled in the list of its 

 honorary members ; and all who went to study the very interesting 

 geological structure of the north of Ireland, and visited Belfast, were 

 sure to receive from Dr. MacDonnell a most hospitable welcome, 

 and much valuable information. He died last November, at the ad- 

 vanced age of 82 ; but, as I can testify by a letter I received from 

 him a few weeks before his death, continuing a keen geologist to 

 the last. Not many months previous he asked me to complete for 

 him his series of our Transactions, looking forward to much enjoy- 

 ment from reading them during the confinement to his room that 



VOL. II PART I. L 



