Royal Physical Society. 345 



of the Society, now nearly ninety years old, and reminded his 

 hearers that it was in one of those periods of comparative de- 

 sertion that our revered and lamented friend Professor Flem- 

 ing, so very recently snatched from among us, had collected, 

 as it were, its scattered materials, and renovated once more its 

 strength. Were it for no other reason, it would be but na- 

 tural for us, who now mourn his irreparable loss, to seize this 

 the first opportunity of testifying to his worth. " Sure I am," 

 said he, " that but one feeling pervades the minds of those pre- 

 sent, and that is, how can we best declare the feelings of sor- 

 row, affection, and regard which we entertain for his memory. 

 I would venture to say, there is no method which could have 

 better pleased him than carrying out the legitimate aims of 

 this Society, itself his peculiar object of regard. I say, the 

 legitimate aims of the Society ; for though some may think that 

 such societies are for the exhibition of ingenious papers, or the 

 mere unravelling of a piece of anatomy, there is a far higher and 

 a more enduring object than that, in the diffusion of a know- 

 ledge of natural history ; and it is with pleasure I recal to your 

 minds the remarks made by my friend Dr Coldstream from 

 this chair, in which he congratulated the Society on the 

 healthy tone which has ever prevailed in the papers laid be- 

 fore it, and the desire ever manifested by its members to make 

 " that power, and wisdom, and unfathomable perfection" which 

 pervades each created thing, redound to the praises of the one 

 infinite Creator of all things. Thus, to carry out the objects 

 of the Society, would, I am persuaded, be acting most in ac- 

 cordance with the wishes and desires exhibited here by our 

 lamented friend, and would, I humbly conceive, be doing the 

 truest honour to his name and memory. I shall not, gentle- 

 men, dwell longer on the irreparable loss we have sustained ; 

 for I feel entirely unequal to say anything adequate to the sad 

 occasion ; but in turning from this mournful page in our his- 

 tory, I cannot but remark on the number of distinguished men, 

 either connected with this Society or cultivating kindred pur- 

 suits, which a few short years have swept from our view, Dr 

 Patrick Neill and Sir John Dalyell are names first in our me- 

 mories, and around the grave of Edward Forbes were gathered 

 Hugh Miller, Dr Johnstone of Berwick, and Professor Fleming," 



