The Opening Meeting. 131 
and as an instance, called attention to the South Kensington Museum, 
which had now arrived at an admirable state of perfection, and had 
tended more to raise the character of English manufactures during 
the last half century than anything else. He, therefore, trusted 
that the Society’s Museum would receive a large number of in- 
teresting articles. 
The Rev. Canon Jackson said he could not quit the room (which, 
however, he had entered with no intention of making a speech) 
without expressing his gratification for the kindness he had received 
both from the speaker and those present. He was conscious, how- 
ever, of having done only what he could for the Society, and was 
one of those, who, twenty-one years ago, stood on that very platform 
with the late Marquis of Lansdowne in the chair, at the inaugural 
meeting of the Society. He promised then to do what he could, and 
he had endeavoured to fulfil his promise. He was very pleased to 
see the hall in 1874 contain more supporters than it did in 1853. 
It spoke of progress, and as the report told them they were twenty- 
one years old, certainly it would appear that they had arrived at 
years of discretion. He congratulated the Society on that fact 
most sincerely. During those twenty-one years the members had 
written some fourteen volumes, which were now very rare in the 
market, and the speaker asked, what would they be twenty-one years 
hence? The finance had been kept in good order, there were 300 
members on the books, they had just established a Museum—and 
yet, the language of the law said they had but arrived at years of - 
‘discretion. Twenty-one years hence, he supposed, would find that 
discretion would be absolute wisdom. In conclusion, the rev. 
gentleman said he sincerely trusted that as the old supporters of the 
Society became incapacitated, through old age, from continuing their 
exertions,there would be young members who would carry on the work. 
The Rev. A. C. Smiru remarked that the Society, from the first, 
_ had contemplated the formation of the Museum that had just been 
formally opened. From various reasons, however, they had not been 
able to carry out their intentions until now, and he was very sorry 
that two of those who had been most active in their work were not 
now with them—he alluded to Mr. Wittey and Dr. Thurnam, both of 
