'332 Anniversary Address. 



family ancestors, the spurs used by the freebooter, and the 

 horn to call his followers together. The ceiling of the room 

 shewed the thistle and fleur de lis in plaster work. The 

 day was most enjoyable. During a portion of our ride, the 

 conversation turned upon old Scottish words and their 

 descriptive tendency when compared with those in the 

 Cumberland and Northumberland dialects. 



It may be said that some of our meetings have partaken 

 more of the nature of excursions than of scientific investi- 

 gation ; that may be so, but we must bear in mind that 

 actual work cannot always be done at our meetings — it must 

 be by patient investigation and individual effort. Our 

 gatherings afford excellent opportunities of receiving and 

 imparting information, of visiting scenes of great beauty 

 and interest, old halls and battle-fields, or of walking b} r 

 lovely rivers celebrated in song and story, which have ren- 

 dered classical the Borderland. They are pleasant reunions, 

 scarcely a meeting passes but some botanical rarity is found 

 or some interesting article exhibited inviting discussion ; 

 thus friendly information is given and a lively interest im- 

 parted to our proceedings. 



Death has been very busy in our ranks, and some of our 

 oldest members have been called to rest. Dr Francis 

 Douglas, an old and respected member of our Club, an able 

 botanist, a good companion, and a true friend, who since 

 1871 has been joint Secretary with Mr Hardy, and who to 

 the last took a deep interest in the welfare of the Club; 

 the Rev. George Selby Thomson, Vicar of Acklington, 

 beloved as a man by all who knew him, whose cheerful face 

 and friendly greeting will be long remembered ; Rev. F. R. 

 Simpson, Vicar of Sunderland ; Rev. Thomas Procter, Vicar 

 of Tweedmouth ; Rev. Canon Ainger, D.D,, Rector of Roth- 

 bury, formerly Principal of St. Bee's College ; Dr Henry 

 Richardson, James Purves, W. E. Otto, M. G. Grossman, 

 Thomas Turnbull and John Brown of Ancroft, have all 

 gone to join the great majority. 



I have now to thank you for the honour you conferred 



