8 The Twenty-Fifth Annual Meeting. 



grand old British camp at Avebury, the barrows, and the many old 

 British remains which would during the next two days come under 

 their notice. Amongst other things worthy of mention, not the 

 least was the excellent Museum got together by the energies of Mr. 

 Preston : while their excellent friend Mr. Merriman, who was always 

 ready to come to the front, had been diving down among the cob- 

 webs of the old municipal chests, and no doubt had found matter of 

 deep interest for his paper to-morrow. 



Mr. C. Penruddocke then proposed the health of the noble 

 Chairman — the Marquis of Ailesbury. Some years ago, when 

 President of the Society, he prophesied that the Wiltshire archaeol- 

 ogists would have a hearty greeting wherever they went, and he 

 was sure that prophecy had been abundantly fulfilled that day. 

 Canon Jackson, in his able address, had alluded to the deer and all 

 kinds of luxuries, the ghosts and all kinds of horrors, of the forest. 

 They had received venison without having taken it, and nothing but 

 kindness from the Noble President of the Meeting. He had now 

 to ask them to drink his health, and in doing so they would not 

 only think kindly of him, but of the whole house of Bruce. 



The Makquis op Ailesbury said if it was a greater honour to 

 him- for his health to be proposed by one more than another, it was 

 by one bearing the name of Penruddocke. They had been the 

 warmest friends of his family, and he had the pleasure of knowing 

 them from John Hungerford Penruddocke down to the present day, 

 and it was a name always honoured and respected. Mr. Penruddocke 

 who came from Compton Cbamberlayne, was a true pattern of the 

 country gentleman, avoiding all extreme feeling, especially with his 

 constituents, with whom he never talked politics. That gentleman, 

 when Member for Wilton, would say, " Don't let us talk about 

 politics, but come out to-morrow with my harriers." Archaeology 

 was far beyond his comprehension, but he had endeavoured to do his 

 best. He was trustee of various properties affected by the Monu- 

 ments Bill introduced by his friend on the left, Sir J. Lubbock, who 

 seemed to think there was danger of his not taking care of the 

 " Devil's Den." He should always treat the " Devil's Den with 

 great respect. They had a most excellent discourse from Canon 



