294 Report of Meetings for 1.S9 1 . By Dr J. Hardy. 



" Here lyes all that is mortal 



" of the Rev. Thomas Thomson, 



" Who was ordained at Bdnam, 



" 1692 ; inducted to Southdean, 



" Nov. 6, 1700 ; and died Minister 



" of this Parish, Feb. 9, 1716. 



" He was Father of James Thomson, 



" The Poet of ' The Seasons,' who was born 



" Sept. 7, 1700, and was thus only two 



" months old when his father became 



" Minister of Southdean. The original In- 



" scription having become illegible, the Hei-itors 



" inserted this Tablet in 1867." 



The tombstone of Sir Walter Elliot of Wolfelee, a late dis- 

 tinguished member of the Club, is also at Chesters churchyard. 

 The old church of Chesters, vphich ccmtains a well-preserved 

 pointed doorway, was dismantled in 1876. The new church, 

 which is adorned with windows of painted glass, has one dedi- 

 cated to James Thomson. 



It was intended to have given an outline of the History and 

 Topography of the Parish and the adjoining district, but the 

 information from Dr Mair and other sources has so accumulated, 

 that it will require to be treated as a separate theme ; and the 

 research, moreover, is still proceeding. 



In the cottaj^e gardens at Chesters was one of the finest dis- 

 plays possible of tall ranks of gay Delphiniums. There was no 

 time to linger ; the neighbourhood would have required a day. 

 The route was then taken past Doorpool Hill, crossing the 

 Rule at Eule Townhead, and looking down to Abbotrule, whose 

 owner, then on his deathbed (for Mr James W. B. Cunningham 

 died on the 30th,) had wished the Club to visit his place. The 

 green back of Bonchester then rose to view, and then the finely- 

 wooded valley of the Rule from Hallrule downwards to Wells 

 gladdened, almost as by a surprise, the onlookers, overhung by 

 mighty Ruberslaw, which was fortunately clad in its summer 

 greenness. After passing Fulton Peel, Swinnie Moor was 

 crossed, and Jedburgh was entered by Lintalee and Hundalee 

 road. Part of the companj' took a different line, and were 

 caught by the tail of a thunder shower, but landed without any 

 material damage from this most enjoyable round. The Presi- 

 dent occupied the chair, and after dinner and the usual toasts, 



