Memoir of the late George Tate, by Mr R. Middlemas. 277 



and a committee was formed for that purpose. His literary 

 and scientific friends at a distance willingly joined the in- 

 habitants of the town and neighbourhood, so that there was a 

 complete success. A public banquet was held in the Town 

 Hall, Alnwick, to which Mr Tate was invited. Dr Bruce, of 

 Newcastle-upon-Tyne, presided ; the vice-chair was occupied 

 by Mr J. A. Wilson, of Alnwick. An address, beautifully 

 illuminated, and numerously signed by the nobility, gentry, 

 scientific men, and the inhabitants of the town and district, 

 a purse of gold, and an elegant tea and coffee service in silver, 

 were presented to Mr Tate, in an able speech, by Dr Bruce. 

 It was a meeting of which Mr Tate might well be proud ; 

 for his great historical work had been highly appreciated by 

 eminent men ; — some of whom, engaged in similar pursuits, 

 attended to congratulate him on the success of his labours. 

 But his ardent spirit was not satisfied ; he thought he had 

 not done enough. He said " he had intended that his opus 

 magnum should be the Geology of Northumberland ; but that 

 at his age, with infirm health, he could not hope to accomplish 

 it." His valuable monographs, " On the Cheviots ; " " The 

 Basaltic Rocks of Northumberland ; " " Fossil Flora of the 

 Eastern Borders;" and "Fauna of the Mountain Limestone," 

 bear ample evidence of what the complete work would have 

 been. 



Mr Tate suffered much from chronic asthma, and was 

 compelled to confine himself for several months of the year, 

 not only to his house, but to his room. He fixed upon his 

 museum for this purpose, that he might have ready access to 

 any specimens he might require when extending his notes of 

 summer investigations. There also his friends visited him 

 and enjoyed his conversation. As the spring advanced he 

 was able to take out-door exercise ; and at the first meetings 

 of the Club was generally in his place. The winter of 1869 

 seemed to take a severe hold upon him, and he did not 

 recover strength as on other occasions. Last winter made 

 further inroads upon his constitution ; he, however, rallied 

 sufficiently to summon his friends of the Alnwick Scientific 

 Research Club to meet at his residence to hear a paper which 

 he had just completed for the Berwickshire Club, " On the 

 Basaltic Rocks of Northumberland." His weakness and 

 laboured breathing were painfully apparent, but he was 

 cheerful and happy, and seemed to enjoy the society of his 



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