XXXIV PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETT. 



fortune to have made in the field, and to have recommended strongly 

 to the notice of the President. To no one man certainly has our 

 body been more indebted than to the excellent and gifted Lonsdale, 

 whether for his publications, his conduct of our affairs, or the zealous 

 and disinterested labour he bestowed in aiding and improving the 

 works of his associates. 



Ketiring from active participation in our business during the last 

 few years of his life. Dr. Pitton still earnestly watched and ap- 

 preciated our progress, and no act was ever more grateful to the 

 feelings of the Council and of the then President, Mr. W. Hopkins, 

 than when in 1852 they conferred on their veteran associate the 

 highest honour in their gift, the Medal founded by his dear friend 

 Wollaston. 



United in marriage in the year 1820 to Miss James, a most 

 amiable lady, who brought to him the means of a comfortable ex- 

 istence. Dr. Eitton not only reared his five sons and three daughters 

 with untiring solicitude, but, just as in previous years he had been 

 the solace of his venerable mother, so he continued to be the pride of 

 his sisters, the youngest of whom, Miss Sarah Fitton, still living, 

 possesses much of the genius of her lamented brother, and has dis-^ 

 tinguished herself in natural-history pursuits. 



Giving throughout his life constant proofs of his hospitable and 

 generous disposition, he opened his house during his Presidency to 

 all the Fellows at evening soirees, when his cheerful and joyous 

 countenance and kind manner encouraged many a beginner. Fol- 

 lowing the example of Sir Joseph Banks, who was probably the most 

 popular President the Eoyal Society ever possessed. Dr. Fitton, as 

 well as his predecessor, Mr. Greenough, held these agreeable scientific 

 conversazioni on Sunday evenings. Up to that time, few persons 

 thought there was any sin in so spending the latter part of a Sabbath 

 eve ; but remonstrances commencing on the part of the rigid sabba* 

 tarians, a stop was put to those instructive and innocent recreations ; 

 and the only remaining relic of that which was so long the custom of 

 this land is now confined, as far as I know, to the social Sunday- 

 evening meetings of the Dilettanti Society of Antiquaries. 



It is however fair to observe, that the parties of Sir Joseph Banks, 

 Mr. Greenough, and Dr. Fitton were composed chiefly of a few scien- 

 tific men ; the large and mixed assemblies which now flock to the 

 soirees of the Presidents of Societies being scarcely compatible with 

 the quiet of an English Sunday night. 



In conclusion it may well be said, that Dr. Fitton was so single* 

 minded, guileless, and affectionate, that every one who knew him 

 loved him ; and as his memory is cherished by all his contemporaries, 

 so is this the fitting occasion to record, however imperfectly, the 

 virtues and deeds of so good a man and so sound a geologist. 



Dr. Fitton became a Fellow of the Eoyal Society in 1815 ; and 

 he was also a Fellow of the Linnean, Astronomical, and Eoyal 

 Geographical Societies, 



