XXXVm PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



while at the same time they should be sufficiently general in their 

 nature to suit persons not interested in mining or metallurgical 

 pursuits. 



In his inaugural discourse on the opening of the School of Mines 

 and of Science applied to the Arts, Sir Henry De la Beche explained 

 the history and the objects of the Institution, which had for twenty 

 years been his constant thought, but few who heard him on that 

 occasion could form any adequate idea of the difficulties with which 

 he had had to contend, and which he had so successfully overcome. 

 But during this busy period of his life, his exertions were not con- 

 fined to the Museum of Practical Geology. In 1847, Sir Henry De 

 la Beche was elected President of this Society, and I need only appeal 

 to the recollection of those who were then Members of it, for a con- 

 firmation of the statement, that, in his discharge of his presidential 

 duties, he fully realized the anticipations which had been held out 

 to us. 



In 1853 he published the second edition of his work, called the 

 'Geological Observer,' in which the materials of all his former 

 writings are worked up into a definite shape. Originally founded on 

 a smaller work called ' How to observe in Geology,' the object of 

 this new publication was to afford a general view of the -chief points 

 of the science, to assist beginners, and to show how the correctness 

 of observations may be detected, and to sketch the direction in which 

 they may apparently be extended. 



But success had scarcely crowned his efforts at the period of the close 

 of the Great Exhibition in 1 85 1 , ere the first symptoms of that disease, 

 which removed him from the scene of his labours, began to be deve- 

 loped. Before the end of that year, partial paralysis attacked him, 

 producing at first only a slight lameness, yet gradually and slowly 

 undermining his strength. During the three following years, the 

 gradual progress of disease was too painfully evident to his friends. 

 His strength was slowly wearing away, but his healthy tone of mind 

 and keen penetration remained unimpaired. For the last few months, 

 although his limbs refused their proper work, he was daily carried to 

 his office, the business of which he superintended with the same 

 energy and vivacity as before, and was actually engaged upon it only 

 thirty-six hours before his death, which took place on the 13th of 

 April, 1855. 



That the great merits of Sir Henry De la Beche were fully appre- 

 ciated both at home and abroad, the many honours conferred on 

 him are a most convincing proof. Knighted by his Sovereign, he was 

 also a Knight Commander of the Danish Order of Dannebrog, and 

 of the Belgian Order of Leopold ; he was a Correspondent of the In- 

 stitute of France, and a Member of various Foreign Academies, and 

 of numerous scientific bodies at home and abroad. . 



Thomas "Weaver was born in 1773. He was long a distin- 

 guished and active Member of this Society, particularly in its earlier 

 days. He was also one of that band of scientific men, who, with 

 Jameson, Humboldt, and Von Buch, learnt the first rudiments of 



