33 
of Edinburgh^ Session 1862 - 63 . 
those who, some forty years ago, rendered the literary society of Edin 
burgh famous, with not a few of whom he was associated as one of 
the founders of the Edinburgh Academy, in which he took a life- 
long interest. He became a Fellow of this Society in 1822, and its 
Treasurer in 1838. He fulfilled the duties of the latter office in a 
very exemplary manner, as I can testify from personal knowledge. 
He devoted to it not a little of his time, and brought the finances into 
a better state than they had been for a long time previously. For a 
good many years past his health prevented him from taking his place 
at the evening meetings ; but so long as he possibly could, he assidu- 
ously attended at council meetings, and in 1857, when he could no 
longer do so, he resigned his office. On that occasion he received 
from the Society a piece of plate as a recognition of his valuable 
services. His latter years were tranquilly spent at Southbank, near 
Edinburgh, a charming villa bequeathed to him by his uncle, 
General Eobertson. I have very often visited him there, and found 
him ever cheerful and occupied, generally with literary pursuits, in 
which to the last he took a real pleasure. At my very latest visit I 
found him refreshing his recollections of the Latin Classics. He 
was a man of wide sympathies, and had many friends of all parties. 
He was a sincere Christian, and died at peace with all men. This 
happened on the 30th January 1862, when he had almost completed 
his eighty-second year. He is therefore the fifth octogenarian on 
our list, besides foreign members. 
Of the remaining names on our obituary list I do not feel called 
on to say much. But I must mention Dr Fyfe, a highly respectable 
chemist, and a well-known lecturer in Edinburgh. He was at first 
chemical assistant to Dr Hope. In and after 1817, he lectured at 
the Society of Arts, and in 1841 was appointed to the Chair of 
Medicine in Aberdeen, having already been President, the year be- 
fore, of the Eoyal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. He died on 
the 31st December 1861, aged nearly seventy years. 
Admiral Norwich Duff, born in 1793, was descended from the 
first Earl of Fife. His earlier years were spent in active service in 
various parts of the world. Even before he was twenty he had 
taken part in several great naval battles. About the time of enter- 
VOL. V. 
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