80 



JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. XIV. 



Mr. Capper resigned the Secretaryship for the second time 

 in 1873, and Col. Fyers went away on furlough in 1874 ; and 

 although some excellent Papers were read by Mr. William 

 Ferguson, Dr. Legge, Mr. Louis de Zoysa, Mr. J. d'Alwis, 

 and others, yet both in numbers and in activity the Society 

 seems to have declined. 



It declined in fact so rapidly and remained obscure so 

 long, that a generation had again time to arise, to which its 

 services were unknown, and who really thought that the 

 Colombo Museum had been created from the beginning by 

 the versatile and genial gentleman whose statue — somewhat 

 disfigured though it be for the moment — still adorns these 

 grounds. ' 



Col. Fyers returned in 1877, but even then for a few years 

 longer the torpor continued, Mr. William Ferguson, with a 

 few others, keeping the Society alive. 



The General Meeting of 1879, though scarcely more 

 than a dozen Members attended it, saw a revival. His 

 Excellency Sir J. Longden presided. Col. Fyers gave a 

 spirited Address ; and Papers were read by Mr. William 

 Ferguson on Grasses, and by Mr. R. W. levers on Paddy 

 Cultivation. 



The Present Time. 



At this point the student of the Society's history finds 

 himself in the presence of a force which is still at work ; and 

 we have already arrived at modern days, when we signalize 

 the all-pervading energy of Mr. H. C. P. Bell. 



This indefatigable Secretary found in 1881 that no pro- 

 ceedings had been published between 1874 and 1880, and 

 obtained leave to complete, by reprinting where necessary, 

 the series of our Journals. All now shows activity. The 

 Rules are amended, the custom of an Annual Report is 

 revived, after being ten years in abeyance ; Papers in 1881 

 and 1882 are abundant. Among the contributors were many 

 whose aid we still enjoy, and other valuable Papers being the 

 work of the late learned Louis de Zoysa and of Professor 

 Kiinte of Bombay. 



