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Proceedings of the Boyal Society 
published, and had a motto from Wordsworth prefixed to it, truly 
expressive of the heartfelt pleasure which these researches gave to 
him. The motto was— 
“ I have owed to them 
In hours of weariness, sensations sweet 
Felt in the blood.” 
I remember being so struck with this address, that after reading 
it, I begged a common friend to ask Sir James, how and when he 
had found time to compose it. His answer was, that he had 
written it, after twelve o’clock at night, as he always felt refreshed 
by writing papers of that kind. There is a paragraph at the con¬ 
clusion of this address, which deserves to be quoted for its own 
sake, and because it led to an occurrence which illustrates Pro¬ 
fessor Simpson’s readiness to aid in any good object. 
“ In the name of this Society, and in the name of my fellow-countrymen 
generally, I here solemnly protest against the perpetration of any more acts 
of useless and churlish Vandalism in the needless destruction and removal of 
our Scotch antiquarian remains. The hearts of all leal Scotchmen, overflowing 
as they do with a love of their native land, must ever deplore the unnecessary 
demolition of all such early relics and monuments, as in any degree contri¬ 
bute to the recovery and restoration of the past history of our country and of 
our ancestors. These ancient relics and monuments are in one sense national 
property, for historically they belong to Scotland and to Scotsmen in general, 
more than they belong to the individual proprietors upon whose ground they 
happen to stand.” 
Shortly after this address was published, a visit was paid by 
the Berwickshire Naturalists’ Club to a remarkable old fortress in 
Berwickshire, called Edins Hald, situated among the Lammermuir 
Hills. Those members of the Club who had known the building 
in former years, were distressed to see how much it had been muti¬ 
lated, and to hear, that it was about to be again used as a quarry, 
for some stone dykes soon to be erected. The Club addressed the 
proprietor on the subject, with the view of obtaining a promise 
to prevent farther dilapidation. He, however, showed no dis¬ 
position to grant our request. We resolved then to submit the 
matter to Professor Simpson, on the faith of the admirable address 
to which I have just adverted. It turned out fortunately for us; 
that the wife of the proprietor, who resided near Edinburgh, was 
then attended by Professor Simpson. He willingly, undertook to 
intercede with her on behalf of this old relic, and obtained from 
