118 



Meetings, 1889. 



I, like yourselves, ladies and gentlemen, owe many a quiet, 

 happy, and elevating hour to tastes and pursuits of this kind. 

 I can truly say that I look back with unalloyed satisfaction to 

 the happy hours devoted to the study of nature in my youthful 

 days, when, by means of simple instruments and apparatus of 

 my own construction, some of the wonders of creative wisdom 

 and skill, were first revealed to my wondering vision. These 

 studies of my youthful days, have, T am convinced, exerted a 

 wholesome influence on all my after life ; not the least of which 

 has been a deeper love of my fellow men, and especially a 

 sincere concern for the moral and intellectual elevation of the 

 youth of my native land. I may truly say that it is this deep 

 concern for their welfare which has found practical expression 

 in my return to my native land, and in my endeavours to 

 provide for them in the pleasant paths of literature and science, 

 those inexhaustible stores of pure recreation, instruction, and 

 enjoyment, which they vainly seek through the gratification of 

 the grosser senses. 



I have spent many an anxious hour in trying to devise 

 some method of inducing more of those around us to join in 

 the same pure and satisfactory enjoyments. While I by no 

 means despair of ultimate success, yet I should certainly be 

 glad to see rather more definite signs of progress ; and if any 

 of the members of this Society can aid in this " consummation 

 so devoutly to be wished," either by any suggestions or in any 

 other way, I, as well as my friend Mr. Alles, shall be very glad 

 indeed to be favoured with their views on the subject. 



I may just add in conclusion, that a revised code of Eules 

 will presently be submitted for your consideration and ratifica- 

 tion. They have been drawn up with a view of extending the 

 scope of the Society's labours, and of adding to its present list 

 of subjects for investigation, such very interesting and import- 

 ant matters as the archaeology, the folk-lore, the language, 

 &c, of the Bailiwick. Much of our folk-lore especially, is very 

 rapidly vanishing from our midst ; indeed I greatly fear that 



