16 



REPORT OF THE 



The Council have to congratulate the Meeting on the repa- 

 ration of the Hospitium by means of a Subscription raised 

 among the Members, and augmented by the proceeds of a 

 County Ball, very handsomely devoted to this object. The 

 sum thus raised has been found nearly sufficient (after deduct- 

 ing various collateral expenses) under the direction of Mr. J. 

 Harper, to reconstruct the roof and the walls, but not to com- 

 plete the building for general purposes, which requires the 

 introduction of floors, doors, and windows. It might be easily 

 and effectually warmed by stoves, and would then become in 

 many respects a most desirable and valuable acquisition, as an 

 Antiquarian Museum, and a place for public meetings. The 

 tiles which now cover the building were the gift of the York 

 and North Midland Railway Company. 



The effect of this reparation of an interesting part of the 

 buildings of St. Mary's Abbey, combined with the enlarge- 

 ment of the pleasure ground in front of it, has been generally 

 acceptable to the members as well as peculiarly gratifying to 

 artists, and has already yielded valuable fruits. 



The Horticultural Exhibition in August experienced the 

 advantage of increased accommodation afforded by the ample 

 rooms in the Hospitium, and the scene presented in the Mu- 

 seum grounds on that occasion was in every respect most 

 gratifying. These exhibitions being now considered as an 

 established part of the proceedings of the Institution, the 

 directing Committee, for whose prudent arrangements and 

 zealous exertions the Society cannot be too grateful, found 

 it desirable to make purchases of some articles indispensable 

 to the exhibition. * If it should be found advisable also to 

 purchase rather than to borrow the requisite tables, the So- 



* The Committee is much indebted to James Barber, Esq. for arranging 

 those purchases satisfactorily. 



