Of all the "learned societies" in London, the Royal Geographical is the most popular. Perhaps it is because there is less "book learning" required for its membership, than that love of travel, enterprise, and adventure, which characterizes all true Englishmen. Professor Owen once said that in the new Hall of the Geographical Society a statue of 'Robinson Crusoe' should be the central figure. It was a wise and suggestive, though humorous proposal, for few geographers have not received early impressions from Defoe's immortal book. The whole globe is embraced in the objects of the Society, whether in the Old World or the New, whether the explorations are in the frozen regions of the Pole, or in the deserts and forests of tropical Africa. The anniversary meeting of the Society was held on the 24th of May, 1869, in the Royal Institution, under the Presidency of Sir Roderick Murchison, to whose energy and enthusiasm geographical discoveries, and the prosperity of the Society, have been so largely due. When the health of the Prince of Wales, as their Royal vice-patron was given, the President referred to the appointment of Sir Samuel Baker, the Society's medallist of the year, to the government of Equatorial Africa. The good-will and patronage of the Viceroy in this instance was essentially obtained through the personal influence of the Prince of Wales. Among the guests at their table was the young Egyptian Prince Hassan. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales said:-- "Sir Roderick Murchison, your Highness, my Lords, and Gentlemen,--Under any ordinary circumstances it would have given me great pleasure to be present at this interesting meeting--the anniversary dinner of the Royal Geographical Society; but I feel doubly proud to be here this evening as a vice-patron of so useful and celebrated an institution. Sir Roderick Murchison has had the kindness to allude to me as a traveller; I can only say that I feel ashamed almost to stand here with the name of a traveller, when I see around me so many distinguished persons who have travelled, I may almost say from one end of the world to the other. But I cannot be too grateful that my lamented father at an early period gave me an opportunity of travelling and seeing foreign countries; and the same permission being granted to my brother, I feel certain that we have both derived great benefit from seeing those interesting countries which it has been our happiness to visit. No doubt much knowledge and learning may be obtained by reading books of foreign travel, but I feel convinced that all those gentlemen who are members of this society will coincide with me when I say that you cannot form so full or favourable an idea of the countries described by reading of them in books as you can by visiting them yourselves.