OBITUARY NOTICE— REV. GEORGE GUNN 159 



from year to year further contributions to the annals of 

 the Club, in whose work and prosperity he was so deeply 

 interested. 



Mr Gunn turned his knowledge of botany to practical 

 account in his manse garden, where he had collected a large 

 number of uncommon plants. He had several rockeries, on 

 which he grew Alpines with much success, and it was these 

 that received his special attention. Latterly he had taken 

 a fancy for cultivating hardy ferns, of which he possessed 

 many good varieties. It was always worth while, at any 

 time in spring or summer, to visit his garden, for he was 

 sure to have many things of beauty or variety to show the 

 visitor, and it was delightful to see the enthusiasm with 

 which he displayed his treasures. No one who cared for 

 plants went empty handed away. 



It remains to say a word with regard to Mr Gunn's 

 character, and one may speak of this without any fear of 

 falling into exaggeration. It was the genuineness and guile- 

 lessness and loveableness of the man that specially endeared 

 him to his friends. He was one of the truest and kindliest 

 and friendliest of souls, one whose life was in all things 

 simple and honourable and pure. There was a peculiar 

 attraction about him that was felt by both old and young. 

 Children were specially sensitive to it ; he made friends 

 with them at once ; they were drawn to him by a magnetic 

 sympathy. And older people were attracted in the same 

 way. He was a man who had not only many acquaintances, 

 but many friends. And to them all he was as true as steel ; 

 his friendship was not sometimes cool and sometimes warm, 

 according to the mood he might be in ; he was always the 

 same kindly, sympathetic, friendly man. And so he did 

 not lose his friends. He might differ from them, for he 

 had his own firm opinions on what was right ; but they 

 respected him for that, and the truest friendship is based 

 on respect. Everyone who was brought into contact with 

 him recognised his straightforwardness. He abhorred all 

 ways that were tricky and mean. In public and in private 

 life he was the same. You could always depend upon him. 

 He could be trusted to do what he thought to be right, even 

 though his own interest might lie in the other direction. 



