nce,
and fidelity, is evanescent. Every atom in the human frame, as well as
in that of animals, undergoes a periodical change by continual waste and
renovation; the abode is changed, not its inhabitant. If animals have no
future, the existence of many is most wretched; multitudes are starved,
cruelly beaten, and loaded during life; many die under a barbarous
vivisection. I cannot believe that any creature was created for
uncompensated misery; it would be contrary to the attributes of God's
mercy and justice. I am sincerely happy to find that I am not the only
believer in the immortality of the lower animals.

* * * * *

When I was taught geography by the village schoolmaster at Burntisland,
it seemed to me that half the world was _terra incognita_, and now that
a new edition of my "Physical Geography" is required, it will be a work
of great labour to bring it up to the present time. The discoveries in
South Africa alone would fill a volume. Japan and China have been opened
to Europeans since my last edition. The great continent of Australia was
an entirely unknown country, except part of the coast. Now telegrams
have been sent and answers received in the course of a few hours, from
our countrymen throughout that mighty empire, and even from New Zealand,
round half the globe. The inhabitants of the United States are our
offspring; so whatever may happen to Great Britain in the course of
events, it still will have the honour of colonizing, and consequently
civilizing, half the world.

In all recent geographical discoveries, our Royal Geographical Society
has borne the most important part, and none of its members have done
more than my highly-gifted friend the President, Sir Roderick Murchison,
geologist of Russia, and founder and author of the colossal "Silurian
System." To the affection of this friend, sanctioned by the unanimous
approval of the council of that illustrious Society, I owe the honour of
being awarded the Victoria Medal for my "Physical Geography." An honour
so unexpected, and so far beyond my merit, surprised and affected me
more deeply than I can find words to express.

In the events of my life it may be seen how much I have been honoured by
the scientific societies and universities of Italy, many of whom have
elected me an honorary member or associate; but the greatest honour I
have received in Italy has been the gift of the first gold medal
hitherto awarded by the Geographical