Re;poTt of Meetings for 1881. By Jas. Hardy. 438 



Lord President Dundas of Arniston Raehurn. 



Sarah Duchess of Marlborough Sir G. Kneller. 



2nd Duke of Kutland \ 



* Lucy 2nd wife of do \...Sir Feter Lely, 



Portrait of a Lady ■' 



James 2nd, Earl of Arran Zuechero. 



Christ in the Temple ) ^ 



The Gamesters } G-rava!Jg^o. 



*Flight into Egypt Murillo. 



*Christ at the Well , School of Caracci. 



Betrayal of Christ Gherardo della Notte. 



*The Tribute Money Supposed to he Eibera. 



3 Landscapes Gaspar Foussin. 



*Island of Fidra Thomson of Buddingston. 



There are likewise specimens, some very choice, of the following 

 masters : — 



Guercino (Itahan Head) ; *Canalleto (View of Venice) ; *Giiardi (2 Do.) ; 

 Sasso Terrato (Copy of Madonna della Seggiola of Raphael) ; *Giorgione 

 (Venitian Lady) ; Fellini (Holy Family) ; Bassano (Adoration of the 

 Shepherds, and Dives and Lazarus) : *mcolas Maas (Dutch Family) ; 

 *ilfetew (Dutch Group) ; Sobbema (Landscape); * Adrian Van Ostade {Tlntcb. 

 Boors) ; *Cui/p (Men and Horses) ; *Lingelbaeh (Christ preaching from the 

 Boat); Allan Ramsay (Lord Sherard Manners), (Lady Eobert Manners), 

 (Lucy, Duchess of Montrose) ; Crome of Nortoich (Enghsh Landscape) ; 

 Wissing (Duchess of Portsmouth). 



It is difficult to pronounce a decided opinion as to the respective merits 

 of good pictures, which so greatly depends upon taste, but those which I 

 have marked are generally considered striking specimens of the masters 

 who painted them. 



I may add that one of the works of art which we most highly prize is 

 a colossal Bust of Napoleon by Thorwaldsen. There is also a good speci- 

 men by Campbell, viz. a statue of Fsyche, and one by Westmacott, viz. 

 'The Homeless Wanderer.' " 



The charter chest at Biel is not arranged, but contains it is be- 

 lieved, some valuable historical papers. Some letters on affairs 

 of State both from and to the Lords Belhaven, once the owners 

 of the estate, were produced ; several of these were in Charles 

 II's hand. 



Leaving the house the members proceeded to see the terraces, 

 and the trees on the lawn. These decorated terraces of dressed 

 stone give the place an unique character. They afford support 

 to many fine trees and creeping shrubs. At the period of visit 

 there was a splendid Wistaria Sinensis in full bloom. I shall not 

 specify everything grown, but only individual instances that took 

 the attention. The two first rigorous winters that we have ex- 

 perienced dealt gently with shrubs on the well-screened platforms, 



