76 



Anniversary Meeting. 



[Nov. 30, 



Throughout his life he loved and honoured science. To this he 

 had an hereditary claim. His father, Mr. William Strutt, was for 

 many years the centre of all philosophical and scientific interest in 

 Derby, and the intimate friend and associate of Dr. Darwin. Lord 

 Belper loved to recall this while delighting in the researches of Dr. 

 Darwin's far more illustrious grandson. Although he never devoted 

 himself to any special branch of science, he maintained the deepest 

 interest in all scientific research, and in every new discovery. His 

 life had comprised a period of great and active progress, the 

 development of which he had watched with an interest which 

 appeared to deepen as he grew older ; and the great solace of his 

 declining years was the thought (which would often rouse him to 

 enthusiasm) of what had been achieved within his memory towards 

 advancing the comfort and happiness of mankind. During his long 

 connexion with University College, of which he became President at 

 Mr. Grote's death, in 1871, few things gave him greater satisfaction 

 than the generous endowment by his friend, Mr. Jodrell, of the Pro- 

 fessorship at that College for the furtherance of Physiological Science. 



If in Lord Belper we have an example of one of the many ties which 

 link our body with the outer world, in Mr. E. W. Cooke we have 

 another. Art as well as Politics may have a scientific aspect ; and the 

 faithful delineation of the features of nature is an aid with which 

 science could not easily dispense. Mr. Cooke was a keen observer of 

 natural objects, which he viewed with a trained eye and a cultivated 

 mind ; and much as he rejoiced in sketching the busy scenes of the 

 seaboard towns of Europe, he never was more happy than when pro- 

 ducing, among the rocks, pictures which may almost be described as 

 geological. 



On the last of our fallen leaves is inscribed the name of Sir Ben- 

 jamin Collins Brodie, son of our late President ; . himself no mean 

 contributor to the science which he cultivated, and no unworthy 

 representative of the firmness of character and independence of 

 thought which have always been connected with his father's name. 



Others there are, whom we have lost, to a full tale of twenty ; but 

 the narration of their story would be both sad and long. 



In regard to our property, I have little to report. The regulations 

 respecting the income arising from the Fees Reduction Fund have 

 been duly carried out by our Treasurer; and the other special funds 

 stand much as at last anniversary. 



Several improvements have been effected in the Acton Estate, 

 under the sanction of the Council ; and some negociations have been 

 entered into for the sale of the entire estate, which are still pending. 



The Society's finances generally are, as the balance-sheet will show, 

 in a healthy condition, and appear to justify the hope that they will 

 su flace for the large claims upon them for printing our publications. 



