Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 6.djvu/451

 THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE. 297 Snnunl iHecttng at ic^ali^burj). July 24 to July 31. The Annual Meeting, lickl at Salisbnry, under the Presidency of the Right Hon. Sidney Herbert, and with tlic ratronage of the Lord Jiishop of the Diocese, commenced on Tuesday, Jidy 24th. The Introductory Meeting took place at the Assembly llooms, at twelve o'clock, the Chair being taken by the Makuuis of Nortiiampton, on behalf of the Earl Brownlow, Presi- dent of the previous year, whose recent illness precluded the possibility of his participation on this occasion. The communication of his regret at being imable to attend in person was accompanied by a gratifying assurance of continued and cordial interest in the efforts of the Institute, to which Lord Brownlow had rendered such valuable services at the last Annual Meetins:. o With a passing retrospect on the hearty welcome and varied attractions the Institute had found under his lordship's auspices in Lincolnshire, Lord Northampton spoke of the field, full of promise and interest, now before them, under the distinguished auspices of their future President. The noble Marquis then resigned the Chair to Mr. Sidney Herbert. The President then expressed, in the most gi-atifying terms, his cordial recognition of the value of Archaeological pursuits, and his satisfaction that Wiltshire had been selected as the scene of the researches and efforts of the Institute in the present year. He adverted to the neglect under which the earlier part of English history had fallen in previous times, and the import- ance of attention to details, which some might deem trivial ; their value had been strikingly shown in the writings of one of the latest of our historians. He spoke of Wiltshire as presenting a complete epitome of national history of the obscure earlier periods, — the troublous times of conflict between Danes and Saxons, — old Sarum, and the strife between Church and State, which had found at Clarendon its expression in written words. And glancing at other eventful scenes in former days, he turned to the more agreeable theme of the bright examples of heroism, patriotism, cultivated taste, and intellectual attainments, by which this county is so distinguished. Mr. Herbert observed that the district chosen by the Institute, as their place of assembly, was replete with the recollections and associations attached to localities, which would be hallowed in their remembrance ; that there was no walk of life in which we may not here draw the infusion of genius, and feel the asso- ciations which serve to link us with the illustrious spii'its of times long past. The Lord Bishop of Oxford, in proposing a vote of thanks to the President of the previous year, expressed the high esteem of Lord Brownlow's encouragement and promotion of the objects of the Institute, which all its members must feel, and especially those who had shared the cheering recep- tion which they had enjoyed in Lincolnshire. He would add a word as to the advantages which this Institution, and this its special habit of assembling year by year, presents to society at large. Captious persons might be found ready to question the value of such pursuits and the results to be derived from such meetings. The past, he observed, might be studied as if it were so superior to the age in which we live, that men should regret that their existence had not been cast in olden times. He regarded Archaeologv as