ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS. Iz 
is now being written by faithful hands. But I consider it no com- 
mon piece of fortune to have lived within an easy distance of his 
house ; to have been able by a short pilgrimage to enjoy his bright 
welcome and his genial conversation, and to revive from time to 
time a mental picture of that, my ideal of the philosophic life.” 
Such are the evidences collected from amongst many of the 
estimation in which Darwin was held by men of the highest 
eminence in the scientific world, and I feel that no apology is 
needed for introducing them to your notice in this réswmé of this 
distinguished man’s life. It will be remembered that at our 
monthly meeting in September last a resolution was proposed by 
your President, and adopted by the members present, expressive of 
our sympathy with the widow and family in their bereavement, 
and of the irreparable loss the scientific world has sustained in 
Darwin’s death. The resolution was couched in these terms :— 
“The members of the Royal Society of New South Wales having 
heard with deep regret of the death of Charles Robert Darwin, one 
of their most distinguished honorary members, desire to express 
their sense of the loss they, with the whole scientific world, have 
sustained, and they desire that the expression of their heartfelt 
sympathy shall be conveyed, through their President, to the widow 
and family of the late distinguished naturalist.” To his letter con. 
veying this resolution Professor Liversidge has shown me a reply 
from Mr. Francis Darwin, in which he says: “My mother has 
been very much touched and gratified by the sympathy so 
abundantly and kindly expressed by Societies like yours. The 
strong sy mpathy and interest which my father felt in science in the 
Colonies makes us value your letters especially. I am afraid 
my formal letter sounds cold and stiff, but I do assure you we all 
feel grateful for the kind thoughts which dictated the letter tomy 
mother,” 
I should not wish to close this address without referring 
to» the great calamity which befel this community, and par- 
ticularly our scientific friends, the members of the Linnean 
Society, in the destruction by fire of the Exhibition Building, 
