240 peesident's addeess. 



all, I feel pride in belonging to a Club wbicb has numbered, 

 and which, now numbers, amongst its members men conspicuous 

 as Naturalists, and which can produce a splendid record of ser- 

 vice rendered to IS'atural Science. And, along with that feeling 

 of pride, we have all a strong attachment to the Club because of 

 the opportunities it has given us to enjoy many days of pleasant 

 and intellectual companionship. I am an old member, and, with 

 others whose familiar faces I rejoice to see still with us, I can 

 look back to Field Meetings long passed. And I venture to say 

 that we recognise them as among the most pleasant and profit- 

 able days of our lives. Many valued friendships were formed at 

 those meetings ; and amongst the memories we cherish most, are 

 those of members of this Club who took part with us in our ex- 

 cursions, and who have passed on to the Silent Land. You may ■ 

 take it as a truism — I ought, perhaps, to say it is a platitude — 

 that an earnest student of Nature, or a true lover of it, must 

 have something of good in him, and that his friendship and com- 

 panionship are worth having. He is seldom a selfish man. 

 "What is true of other love is true also of this love of Nature : 



" Love took up the harp of Life, and smote on all the 

 chords with might ; 

 Smote the chord of Self, that, trembling, pass'd in 

 music out of sight." 



Now, I hold that the pursuits of our Club tend to develop that 

 love — to widen our sympathies, to lessen our self-conceits — and 

 to make our members more companionable by sowing amongst 

 them the seeds of pure and lasting friendships. 



It has long been a subject of interest to me to observe that 

 what is true of the Naturalist searching after the Truth of 

 Nature, is also true of the Artist who earnestly seeks after 

 its Beauty. In character and mode of thought they have much 

 in common. Both feel and respond to that "touch of Nature" 

 which " makes the whole world kin." 



It has been my lot, I may say my fortunate lot, to live much 

 with Artists, and to count many of them as my intimate friends. 

 And I desire to express my conviction, that if you would find 

 the men, and the women, best able and most willing to give you 



