66 
in the Queen’s University ad eundem. As a resident in Belfast he 
entered heartily into every plan for the spread of knowledge or the 
improvement of his townsmen. He was an active member of the 
^Natural History and Philosophical Society, and at its meetings he 
contributed many valuable papers. As a lecturer he was fluent in 
style, easy in manner, and lucid in thought and expression. He 
conveyed to his hearers much of the interest he had in his subject, 
and encouraged them to engage in original work. He was instru- 
mental in placing the School of Science and Art in its present rela- 
tion to South Kensington, and took a constant and lively interest 
in its success. 
He was an active member of the local committee in connection 
with the meeting of the Social Science Congress in Belfast, under 
the presidency of the Earl of Dufferin, in 1867. 
Interested in education, and attached to the system on which the 
Queen’s Colleges and Queen’s University were founded, he strenu- 
\ 
ously opposed all attempts to interfere with their academic character 
or their privileges. When a supplemental charter was issued, which 
it was believed would lessen the necessity for thorough academic 
training to obtain degrees in the Queen’s University, Wyville 
Thomson came forward very prominently, and succeeded in col- 
lecting large funds, and obtaining still further guarantees from an 
influential committee, which enabled the validity of the charter to 
be tested in the Court of Queen’s Bench. The result was that, 
after long and protracted arguments, an injunction was granted in 
1867 by the Master of the Bolls which rendered the supplemental 
charter inoperative, and helped to prevent for many years the 
substitution of a system of mere examinations for the most 
complete academic training which prevailed in any university. 
Begardless of the differences of religious and political opinion 
which prevailed in Belfast, he was courteous to all, tolerant of 
every opinion frankly formed, and never obtrusive of his own. 
He was esteemed by all classes and parties, he had friends every- 
where, and his house was always open to all of distinction in 
science or art who might happen to visit Belfast. Engrossed in 
his own proper studies, he never obtruded them upon others, hut 
whenever assistance or advice in connection with them were 
needed, he spared no pains to make both effective. His tact, 
