Anniversary Address. 7 



grave of Mrs Carlyle, to whose remarkable character so much 

 attention has been recently directed by the morbid '* Eeminis- 

 cences " of her famous husband. The inscription runs thus : — 

 " Here likewise now rests Jane Welsh Carlyle, Spouse of Thomas Carlyle, 



Chelsea, London. 

 She was born at Haddington, 14th January, 1801, only Daughter of the 



above John Welsh, and of Grace Welsh, Caplegill, Dumfriesshire. 

 In her bright existence she had more sorrows than are common ; but also 

 a soft invincibility, a clearness of discernment, and a noble loyalty 

 of heart, which are rare. For forty years she was the true and 

 everloving helpmeet of her Husband, and by act and word un- 

 weariedly forwarded him, as none else could, in all of worthy that 

 he did or attempted. 

 She died at London, 21st April, 1866, suddenly snatched away from 

 him, and the light of his life as if gone out." 



There had been laid out in the Town-house some of the earlier 

 Burgh Eecords and Books of its ancient Trade Corporations ; 

 and various interesting local antiquarian relics, along with a seal 

 of the Convent of St. Mary's, Coldstream, which had been found 

 in an old house in the town. These at various periods in the 

 day were examined with interest by members of the Club. 



Dinner was served at 4*30 p.m., and nearly 50 sat down at 

 table. After dinner some interesting objects were shown, in- 

 cluding extraordinary monstrosities of the Sloe gathered near 

 Pease Bridge, which were supposed to have originated from the 

 frost injuring the fruit, the bushes having flowered prematurely. 

 These were sent to the Museum of the Botanic Gardens, Edin- 

 burgh. An exceedingly interesting paper was read by Mr Eobt. 

 Gray, F.E.S.E. *' On the Bird Life of the Firth of Forth during 

 . the Storms of October and November, 1881." Another interest- 

 ing paper was read by Mr Hardy, *' On the Seals of the Burgh 

 and Corporation of Berwick-upon-Tweed," "occasioned by the re- 

 cent discovery, near Morpeth, of a leaden seal of Henry IV., 

 with the arms of Berwick, being an impression of the great seal 

 of the realm, as the inscription purports, for his land beyond the 

 Tweed. A cast of this, communicated by Mr Woodman, Stob- 

 hill, Morpeth, was exhibited, also a tracing of the burgh arms in 

 the reign of Alexander II., and impressions of the present 

 Mayoral and Corporation seals of this ancient town." Both papers 

 wiU find a place in the Transactions. 



The following were proposed for membership : — Mr Alexander 

 Bowie, Canonbie, Dumfriesshire; Mr W. Edward Kelso, 3, 



