THE LIVERPOOL LITERARY AND PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY. ANNUAL MEETING-FORTY-NINTH SESSION. ROYAL INSTITUTION, October 3rd, 1859. THOMAS INMAN, Esq., M.D., PRESIDENT, in the Chair. The SECRETARY commenced the business of the evening by reading the following Report, which, on the motion of Mr. Higginson, seconded by Mr. Samuelson, was unanimously adopted : At the opening of last Session the Society numbered 195 members, of whom 43 were corresponding and 152 ordinary members. It now enrols 190. To the ordinary members of last year six have been added by election, two removed by death, and eight withdrawn by resignation. The Society has to regret the demise of one of its oldest members, the late Sir John Salusbury, who continued to the last to take a deep interest in its proceedings, though from infirm health he was rarely an attendant at its meetings. In alluding to the loss by death of Mr. James Wright Whitehead, of the firm of Whitehead and Meyer, merchants, Liverpool, the Society pays but a small tribute to his worth. From an early age he found great pleasure in the study of natural history, and more recently gave much of his time to Α the acquisition of specimens of the mollusca. The collection of shells in his cabinet was select, carefully named, admirably arranged, and particularly rich in northern species. Mr. Whitehead was an observer as well as a collector of the mollusca, and the Society will have to associate the hearing of many instructive and original remarks upon the subject with his respected memory. From the corresponding members of last year one, too, has been removed by death, Mr. Thomas Nuttall, F.L.S. respecting whom the Council cannot better speak than in the words of the Rev. Henry H. Higgins, in his letter to the Secretary : "DEAR SIR, "At your request I enclose a few notes relating to my respected friend, Professor Thomas Nuttall, who died at Nut-grove, St. Helens, September 10th, 1859, aged 73 years. "An account of the early part of his life, and of his travels in the Arkansas territory, was published in one volume, octavo, at Philadelphia, in 1819. To this I have not had access; nor have I thought it desirable, on the present occasion, to apply to sources of information which are open to others. For a biographical notice of this truly good and distinguished man, Dr. Emerson, of Boston, U. S., Mr. W. Carpenter, of Philadelphia, and Sir William Hooker, possess abundant materials, of which no doubt the public will in due time have the advantage. "For the last six years, however, I have myself had very frequent opportunities of seeing Mr. Nuttall, and it is with mingled pride and regret that I now look back to the time during which I enjoyed the advantage of his society, and the privilege of his friendship. The few following incidents are taken from his own account, given during the last year of his illness. "Mr. Nuttall went with his uncle to America in the year 1807, and remained there till the breaking out of the American war. He then came to England, but returned to America as soon as peace was restored. He was for twelve years Professor of Natural History in the American University of Cambridge. Having an estate left to him on condition of residence, he again came to England in 1841, and since that time has resided in his own house at Nut-grove. "Whilst he was in America Mr. Nuttall delivered several courses of lectures on botany, which were never published. The materials for a work entitled 'Townsend's Journey across the Rocky Mountains,' from the Commencement as far as the Passage of the Red River, were taken from Mr. Nuttall's notes, and published without acknowledgement. Amongst other works, Mr. Nuttall himself published 'Genera and Species of North American Plants,' (Philadelphia, 2 vols.,) 'Continuation of Michaux's Sylva Americana,' (3 vols. royal 8vo, plates,) and many papers in the Philosophical Transactions of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and of the Philosophical Society of Philadelphia. "Since his final return to England Mr. Nuttall has been engaged in botanical researches of various kinds, aided by the efforts of his nephew, Mr. Jonas Booth, who from the Himalayan mountains, and from various parts of India, transmitted to Nut-grove cases containing plants valuable, and in some instances new, to science. Mr. Nuttall's pre-eminent acquaintance with the rhododendrons is well known, and the species of that genus which is facile princeps bears his name. "Mr. Nuttall was no doubt chiefly a botanist; indeed, he has often been called the father of American botany, but his attainments as a man of science were by no means limited to an acquaintance with the vegetable kingdom. The members of a natural history club in Liverpool, whose meetings he frequently attended, were often surprised to find the professor equally at home whether the subject under discussion was botanical or zoological; indeed, his memory for the names of natural objects was alike envied and admired. I come now to speak of the declining years of Mr. Nuttall's life. Retiring in disposition, his intercourse, even with his friends, was not characterised by an abundant flow of conversational remarks, yet on certain occasions, chiefly when by some incident reminded of his early explorations in the wilds of America, he would kindle with animation, and speak fluently and even eloquently. I remember bringing to him a little wild flower, with the name of which I was at that time unacquainted. 'Ah!' said he, 'I have not seen that plant for more than thirty years; it is Chrysosplenium oppositifolium;' and he then related how he had found it in America, and went on to name a large number of other flowers found in similar situations, though, as he said, he had not seen any of them for more than a quarter of a century. Thus even up to the time of his last illness his memory was as fresh and vigorous as it had been in the prime of life. "Nor was he less remarkable for a truly philosophical and conciliatory spirit. Being himself a member of the Church of England, he appreciated that which was good wherever he might find it. Circumstances very frequently brought into contact with him the ministers and members of a Primitive Methodist chapel; with their peculiarities Mr. Nuttall was far from sympathising, yet he recognised them as striving to do good amongst the very poor and illiterate population of the neighbourhood, and both treated them and spoke of them with uniform consideration and kindness. "His charity, too, was self-denying. Possessing an ample income, he was frugal almost to excess, scarcely allowing himself the comforts and lesser luxuries required by his advanced years; whilst at the same time the stream of his liberality towards those whom he considered to be deserving of it was never stinted. "Shortly before his end, which was attended with much resignation and serenity, he declared, in few but earnest words, his firm belief in the truths of revelation, and said that in them he found both peace and hope. He was buried in the churchyard of Christ Church, Eccleston, Prescot. "So terminated the life of my much venerated friend. Honoured and esteemed by his neighbours, his name will long be familiar throughout the scientific circles of Europe, and indeed of the world. "I remain, DEAR SIR, "RAINHILL, Sept. 28th, 1859." "HENRY H. HIGGINS. The Treasurer reported last year the investment in a bond of a portion of the Society's surplus funds. He will report to you a continuance of prosperity. The Society has met this year at an earlier period than usual, and with the exception of an interval at Christmas, it will continue its fortnightly meetings till the end of April. This alteration in the time of meeting was made by the Society last session. Towards the close of the last session the council had under their consideration the giving of occasional soirées in the apartments of the Society, and at the last sessional meeting a communication was made to the Society recommending one or more of these meetings, and asking that the council might be authorized to make the arrangements. It will be your pleasure to grant this to the new council, which act will be implied by your adoption of this Report in so far as it bears upon this question. In accordance with the laws of the Society, the council have recommended for election the following: |