222 
that looked beyond the present, with an energy that cast away all 
thought of self, with a Christian love that never failed.” 
The latter days of Dr Alison’s life were clouded by the visitation 
of severe and distressing disease. With conscientious firmness, he 
resigned his professorial position, and retired into private life. To 
the last, however, he enjoyed intervals of serene and useful exemp- 
tion from his sufferings ; and it was only last year that he contri- 
buted to the Transactions of this Society an interesting notice of his 
cousin, the late Dr William Gregory. But the fatal ailment was 
making sure progress in his system, and terminated fatally on 
23d September 1859, when he had attained his 70th year. 
Another eminent and excellent member of this Society who has 
been taken from us is the late Lord Cathcart, for many years well 
known as Lord Greenock, his father having survived till the year 
1843. A great part of Lord Cathcart’s career belongs to pro 
fessional or public life, and is fitter for the military or historical an- 
nals of the country than for the journals of a scientific society. 
His military services and distinctions, however, are proper here to 
be generally noticed, as illustrating, and making more conspicuous, 
the devotion to science which he eminently showed. 
Lord Cathcart was born in the year 1785, and entered the army 
at the age of fifteen. His choice of a profession was the result of 
no aversion to classical studies, to which he was uniformly attached, 
nor of any vulgar ambition for the outward show of the military pro- 
fession, but of a strong sense of public duty, which was indeed the 
guiding principle of a long and useful life. He was for several 
years afterwards actively employed in military service, until, for a 
short time, he was disabled by the injurious effects of that pesti- 
lence which, in the Walcheren expedition, cut off so many thousands 
of our countrymen. In 1810, when now a major in the army, he 
embarked for the Peninsula, anxious to follow the fortunes of his 
relative, Sir Thomas Graham, afterwards Lord Lynedoch, then 
second in command in that field. He . distinguished himself in 
several of the most important battles and sieges in Spain, until he 
was sent to assist Lord Lynedoch in LXolland, as the head of the 
Quarter-Master-Gen eral’s Staff, on which occasion the Duke of 
Wellington took leave of him in these words : — “ I am convinced 
that Sir Thomas will be as glad to receive your assistance as we are 
