38 BULLETIN OF THE ESSEX INSTITUTE. 



him began perceptibly to decline. The good deacon* and 

 elders were at last prompted to action, explained to their 

 beloved minister the gloomy situation and could hut sug- 

 gest to him the inevitable remedy. Said the dear old 

 man, with becoming gravity and evident sincerity, ff I 

 came to you in the days of your prosperity, and I haven't 

 it in my heart to leave you in the time of your adversity." 

 Mr. Rantoul is not likely to be surprised with a visitation 

 like that, but will see to it well that the Institute shall in 

 more ways than one minister to the weal of the " City of 

 Peace " and the towns about it, and that the half-century 

 to come shall be still more glorious than that which we 

 commemorate to-day. 



The President, in presenting the British Consul Gen- 

 eral, Sir Dominic E. Colnaghi, said : 



Whatever differences of opinion or of feeling may 

 spring up, from time to time, between us and any given 

 administration of the British Government, and they are 

 wide and frequent, the ties that bind the British and 

 American peoples can never be broken. We are honored 

 to-day with the presence of Her Britannic Majesty's repre- 

 sentative at Boston and I take great pleasure in present- 

 ing to you the British Consul General, Sir Dominic Col- 

 naghi. 



The British Consul said : 

 Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen : — 



It has been a great pleasure to me to come here to-day, 

 and I would take this opportunity of thanking the Presi- 

 dent and members of the Essex Institute for their cour- 

 teous invitation and for the hospitality so kindly extended 

 to me. 



I will not deny that I feel somewhat abashed in address- 

 ing, even with a few words, so large and distinguished an 



