The late Professor Algernon Freire-Marreco. 71 



him, and it was but rarely tliat lie allowed the prefix "Professor" 

 to which he was entitled, to be used before his name. He was a 

 staunch Conservative in politics, but his conservatism was as 

 liberal as possible on many questions. Thus in the matter of the 

 education of women, Professor Marreco was a regular corres- 

 pondent of Miss Jex-Blake, and practically sympathized both in 

 money and influence with her eflPorts to place women on an 

 equality with men, as to the attainment of medical and other 

 degrees. He had ^taught more than one lady-student himself, 

 and was always most proud of the academic honours which they 

 earned. 



To close this brief notice of a remarkable man without men- 

 tioning some of the personal characteristics which endeared him 

 to his friends, would be to leave it imperfect indeed, but these 

 cannot be fully dwelt upon here. Those who knew him will not 

 need to be reminded of the bright searching eye, the quick 

 repartee, and overflowing humour, which were his when in 

 health, nor of the scathing words of sarcasm which any sham or 

 mean action brought, quick as thought, to his lips. But these 

 things must be spoken of to those who never saw him and who 

 never heard his admirably terse sentences full of sense and wit, 

 pouring forth in choicest English even in the most careless talk. 



Por though the son of a foreigner. Professor Marreco was in 

 most things a thorough Englishman, a fact not to be wondered 

 at when we remember his almost constant residence in this coun- 

 try, and the fact that, on his mother's side, he belonged to the 

 great engineering North Country family of the Harrisons. 



Professor Marreco died on the 28th of February, 1882, of a 

 painful and protracted internal disease, borne with a patience 

 which surprised those acquaintances who knew only the quick 

 temper which distinguished him, but which scarcely sur- 

 prised those friends who also knew the depth of character and 

 strength of will which were his in an equally eminent degree. 

 In accordance with his directions no one was asked to his funeral, 

 but notwithstanding this the cortege which accompanied his re- 

 mains to the grave was one, we believe, by reason of the number 

 and standing of those of whom it was composed, unparalleled in 

 the annals of Newcastle. 



It is gratifying to know that a medal to be called the "Freire- 

 Marreco Medal," with an accompanying valuable prize of books, 

 will be given annually to the best chemical student in the College 



