246 pkesidekt's abdeess, 



opening of a Museum the renown of whicli will spread wherever 

 l^atural History is known. 



The old Museum, with all its interesting associations, and in 

 which so many of our meetings were held, has disappeared 

 before a new order of things. The collections of the Natural 

 History Society, so long almost hidden away in it, will come 

 into broader daylight. "We shall then be able, besides other 

 treasures, to see and to appreciate the Hutton Collection of 

 Minerals, and Mr. Alder's fine Collection of British MoUusca 

 and Polyzoa (both presented by Sir William Armstrong), and 

 Mr. Athey's extensive and unique Collection of Amphibians and 

 Pishes of the Coal Measures (the gift of Lady Armstrong). 

 And also the figured and typical specimens of Coal plants, chiefly 

 from this district, given to the Society by the Institute of 

 Mining Engineers. These will be displayed beside the works 

 and contributions of one whose acquaintance and friendship we 

 are all proud to possess. An Artist, as well as a ]S"aturalist, 

 whose unwearied labour, whose touch of genius, and whose noble-, 

 generosity have provided for the JS^ew Museum a collection, the 

 value and the beauty of which we cannot over-estimate. I, of 

 course, allude to Mr. John Hancock, but for whom the 'New 

 Museum would not have existed. 



I may safely predict that such a Museum, with its ample and 

 well-lighted space, and its almost unique treasures, will become 

 a chosen resort for pleasure and instruction in Newcastle. And 

 if you wish to confer a favour and a benefit on your friends, you 

 can best do so by persuading them to join the Natural History 

 Society, and thus to become free to partake of the varied advan- 

 tages this Museum will afford. 



I should like to see Natural History more generally taught in 

 our schools. I believe the time will come when more attention 

 will be paid to its study. Meantime, encourage your children 

 to take an interest in it. As soon as they are old enough, give 

 them small pocket magnifying glasses, and teach them to use 

 them. You will thus open up to them a new world of interest 

 and of wonder. Take them to the New Museum. What they 

 see there may inspire some of them with a love for Natural 



