704 



to the Society, compared with what was sufficient for the purpose 

 when these abstracts were merely read at the meetings, and then 

 consigned to oblivion in the archives. All these causes, and many 

 more that I might mention, have concurred in rendering my office 

 anything but a sinecure. In fact, every new measure that was 

 adopted entailed on me greater toil, made larger encroachments on 

 my time, and imposed on me more extended responsibility. Not- 

 withstanding these additional burdens, and amidst the breezes I 

 have weathered, and the battles I have been compelled to fight, for 

 your Lordship can bear witness that occasions have not been want- 

 ing to put my zeal for the Society to the proof, I have never shrunk 

 from those duties, but have devoted my best energies to the service 

 of the Society and the promotion of its interests. Having now grown 

 grey in that service, I feel that it is time for me to retire, while my 

 strength is yet unbroken, and before the changes which the Society 

 is now undergoing shall cause fresh demands to be made upon it ; 

 that I may dedicate the remaining term of life that may yet be 

 spared me to those pursuits of science to which I have always been 

 warmly attached, and with which the labours and the cares of office 

 have seriously interfered. 



I have alluded to the existence of some peculiar circumstances 

 which had prevented my taking this step some time ago. These 

 circumstances must be fresh in the memory of most of those I am 

 now addressing : they sprung from a series of malignant attacks, 

 carried on with extraordinary pertinacity during nearly two years, 

 against the Society, its President, and, above all, the Committee of 

 Physiology ; and these attacks were pointed more particularly 

 against myself, under the erroneous notion that I was especially 

 responsible for the proceedings of that Committee ; whereas, in 

 reality, of all its members, I was the one who was least implicated 

 in them. While the battle was raging, I could not, in honour, with- 

 draw from the field ; my duty was to remain at my post and abide 

 the pelting of the storm. But these squalls having now blown over, 

 I feel at liberty to retreat, and to resign into your hands the trust you 

 have so long and so liberally confided to me. I should have tendered 

 this resignation on the present day had I not considered that the 

 interests of the Society might suffer by your being suddenly called 

 upon to choose a Secretary, and that the more proper and respectful 

 course was to give due notice of the vacancy ; and I have accord- 

 ingly allowed my name to be placed before you as Candidate for 

 re-election in the balloting list recommended by the Council. If 

 you are pleased to accept the tender of my services for another year, 

 ample time will be afforded the Society for making selection, at the 

 end of that period, of the person best qualified to fulfil the duties of 

 Secretary. 



. The President then called on Dr. Roget to read the biographical 

 notices of some of the deceased Members, which he then handed 

 to him. 



Hugh, Third Duke of Northumberland, the eldest son of the 



