XXX 



Sir Roderick Impey Murchison, Bart., K.C.B., &c. — Among 

 the recent losses sustained by the Society we must place in the foremost rank 

 that caused by the death of Sir Roderick Impey Murchison. It would 

 not be easy to define precisely the place which he held among us. With- 

 out claiming to stand on the highest platform of scientific intellect, a 

 patient gatherer of facts rather than a brilliant generalizer from them, he 

 yet gained by common consent the position of a leader in the common- 

 wealth of science, under whom men of all ranks, even though of higher 

 ability and greater attainments than his own, were willing to serve. It 

 was not merely his achievements in geology which gave him that pre- 

 eminence ; he owed nothing to success in other branches of science, for he 

 seldom travelled beyond what he knew to be his proper domain, nor to 

 grace of literary style. He wrote only on geological and geographical 

 subjects, and that too in a plain matter-of-fact way not likely to attract 

 readers for whom the subject-matter had not previously possessed an 

 interest. His influence sprang from his personal character — noble-hearted- 

 ness, indomitable energy, great tact and courtesy, and an influential social 

 position, which enabled him to befriend science and scientific men, and to 

 gain for them increasing consideration in society. 



Descended from a line of ancestors who had attached themselves to the 

 fortunes of the Earls of Seaforth, Murchison was born on February 19th, 

 1792, at the little estate of Tarradale, in Eastern Ross-shire, purchased by 

 his father, who earned a small fortune as a medical practitioner in India. 

 While still a child he was removed into Dorsetshire, and spent nearly the 

 whole of his boyhood in England. He received his general education at 

 Durham Grammar School, and being destined for a military career, was 

 sent to the Military College of Great Marlow for the requisite professional 

 training. When only fifteen years of age he obtained a commission in the 

 36th regiment of foot, and sailed for the Peninsula under Sir Arthur Welles- 

 ley. He went through the brief campaign which terminated with the Con- 

 vention of Cintra, and carried the colours of his regiment at Vimiera. In 

 the succeeding campaign under Sir John Moore, which began at Lisbon 

 and ended at Corunna, he underwent great hardship, and was one of the 

 footsore stragglers who narrowly escaped capture by the French towards 

 the end of that retreat. 



After the army returned to England, Murchison again went abroad on 

 military duty, but being with the troops in Sicily, saw no more active 

 warfare. At the peace of 1815 he quitted the army, and married the 

 daughter of General Hugonin. 



For the next ten years of his life he spent his time chiefly in England. 

 He was much attached to field-sports, and used to speak of this as the 

 fox-hunting period of his career. Yet under the influence of his amiable 

 and intelligent wife he made some long journeys through the continent, 

 specially devoting himself to the study of art in public and private 

 collections, and making copious notes on this subject. 



