1911-12.] Obituary Notices. 499 
direct experience of the wonderful way in which our legislators acquire 
knowledge and draft Bills, wrote these words : — 
“We all have a great respect for the integrity of our British legislators, 
whatever doubts may haunt us occasionally as to their capacity in practical 
affairs. The ignorance of many of them regarding some of the most 
elementary facts that bear on everyday life is very surprising. Scientifically 
speaking, uneducated themselves, they seem to think that they will catch 
the echo of a fact or the solution of an arithmetical problem by putting their 
ears to the sounding-shell of uneducated public opinion.” 
His experience during the early stages of the fight which our Society 
had to make for recognition must have brought back to his mind more 
than once the memory of these sentences. In his reply to the first deputa- 
tion which was received in Edinburgh, the Secretary for Scotland, while 
sympathising with the object, was of opinion that it was not supported by 
a body of public opinion. Before the second deputation was received in 
London, Chrystal had collected a vast array of facts and had fostered 
in the body of the Scottish representatives a public opinion which there 
was no gainsaying. By the sympathy and support of the Scottish 
Members of Parliament, as well as of the Fellows of the Royal Society 
of London and other eminent scientific men, more was achieved than 
was at first hoped for. Only a man of Chrystal’s alertness of mind, 
clearness of vision, knowledge of affairs, fair mindedness, and yet deter- 
mination to have the Society’s rights recognised, could have successfully 
manoeuvred the Society through this time of strain and stress when its 
status and efficiency were threatened. Through all the cross currents of 
opinion, while many acted valiantly and worked effectively, it was Chrystal 
who was the man at the helm. He was the prompter, supplying needed 
information at every stage to those who came forward in the interests of 
the Society. In such work success is its own reward, and Chrystal never 
grudged the time and energy he was called upon to devote to the cause of 
science in securing for all time from the Government of the day a generous 
recognition of its claims. 
In this, as in other similar cases, Chrystal’s labours were wholly dis- 
interested. There was never anything personal or selfish in his aims. It 
was this detachment from self-interest that added to the strength of his 
appeals and secured the recognition of the principles for which he fought. 
Meanwhile, before the introduction of the Government’s Galleries Bill 
(Scotland), the progress of which through its various stages will be found 
discussed by Sir William Turner in his Presidential Address on the occasion of 
the opening of the new rooms (8th November 1909),Chrystal’s advice had been 
