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Rh way to distinguish Mr. Gilbert's share from that of his colleague "in the remarkable work which has, with so much skill and patience, been so long carried on, and, indeed, they know that you would not wish that they should; but they desire to say to you, as they have said to him, that the society is justly proud of your labors. They are glad to bear in mind that the society has been the channel through which most of your more important results have been made known, that for more than thirty years you have been enrolled among the number of its fellows, and they believe they can say that the society has always given you such aid and support as lay in its power. They reflect with satisfaction that the researches at Rothamsted have contributed in a remarkable manner to the advancement of that branch of natural knowledge with which they deal, and your connection with the society gives the president and council, they venture to think, the right to feel something like a paternal pride in the success of an undertaking of which the jubilee marks a stage." The joint address to the two of the Chemical Society recognized the long adherence to the same plan of experiment as evidence of the skill displayed in its inception and as giving to the work its peculiar value, and continued: "While affording guidance to the agriculturist, your researches have elicited information which will ever serve as the foundation of a truly scientific knowledge of the correlation of plant growth and manurial constituents of the soil, and will be of the utmost value in all discussions of the chemistry of plant life. Your researches on the feeding of animals, in like manner, are not only of practical importance, but also shed much light on the processes of animal life." But of even far greater value was the example which their single-minded devotion to the cause of scientific truth and research had afforded to the world. A congratulatory address was received from the Société Nationale d'Agriculture de France.

Sir John Lawes, being called to speak, said that when two persons were joined in marriage they could not part, because they were bound by solemn ties; but the case with respect to himself and Dr. Gilbert was different. Dr. Gilbert could have left him and he could have left Dr. Gilbert at any time during their association. Why had they not done so? Because they had an immense love of the work they were engaged in. Personally, he had delighted in it from the beginning, and had given as much time to it as he could consistently with other duties; but Dr. Gilbert had made it the work of his life. He had been at work not only when he was at home, but had spent what were called his holidays in visiting other countries and places, in putting himself into communication with other bodies, so that he might make his own work more valuable to those at home.