The Inaugural Meeting. 5 
I regret to say that I must still say ‘ the future historian.”' How 
it is so I do not venture to say, in the regretted absence of the first 
Secretaries, the Rev. A. C. Smith and Mr. Lukis, and of Canon 
Jaekson and others who have laboured so assiduously at illustrating 
our antiquities. Perhaps they may have done better in gathering 
materials piecemeal rather than in attempting prematurely a book 
which ought to be a final collection as far as anything human can 
be final. We have since your visit learnt, I think, something more 
of the true meaning and scope of antiquarian pursuits. Weare less, 
perhaps, of speculators, and less also of medievalists. We go 
further backward into the roots of things. We examine with as 
much care (in the person of General Pitt-Rivers, as shown by the 
admirable volume now lying on the table) the isolated civilisation 
of a little Romano-British village as we should a great and magnifi« 
cent monument. We are as careful (under the guidance of Mr. 
Nightingale) to register and to treasure the pieces of plate presented 
to our Churches in the Georgian era as we do those rare pieces of 
pre-Reformation times. We have, therefore, perhaps, gained some- 
thing in method. I trust that before your next visit we shall be 
able not only to present you with twenty volumes or so of our 
Magazine, but with a smaller number of a history worthy of this 
great county.” 
Eart Percy, in replying, said :—-“ On behalf of the Institute of 
which I have the honour to be President, I have to express our most 
-1To prevent misunderstanding it may be desirable to explain that the Society 
from the beginning did not propose to itself to complete the history of the 
county, but only ‘to collect and publish information on the antiquities and 
natural history of Wiltshire.” And though it is true that the first President, 
in his address at the Opening Meeting of the Society, expressed a hope that many 
of those present might live to see “a complete history of Wiltshire,” and urged 
on the Society to “ prepare some of the requisite materials,” the Society cannot 
congratulate itself that the man of leisure is yet forthcoming who is competent 
for that great work ; for it will require one who shall combine taste and ability 
for carrying out so arduous a labour, together with the ample means at his 
command which such a work would entail. On the other hand, it is confidently 
hoped that the Society has not been unsuccessful in providing a considerable 
mass of information which may hereafter prove serviceable to the future historian 
of our county.—[ Ep. ] 
