198 The Fortieth General Meeting. 



by the union of the present Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Dorsetshire, 

 and Somersetshire Societies, would be likely to be of more permanent 

 and scientific value than the present local societies. At the same 

 time he recognised that there would in such a union be a loss of 

 esprit de corps, as well as a weakening of the social side of the local 

 societies' operations, and in any case the time was not ripe for such 

 an amalgamation, and if it ever came it must come naturally, and 

 could not be forced. 



The President then proposed the health of Mr. W. F. Morgan 

 and the Kev. J. F. Welch, the Local Secretaries, to whom the 

 Society was so much indebted for the success of the Meeting. Those 

 gentlemen having responded, the health of the General Honorary 

 Secretaries was proposed aud responded to. 



The company then adjourned to the Conversazione in the upper 

 room, which had been nicely decorated with foliage plants for the 

 occasion — tea and coffee being provided by the kindness of the 

 Local Committee. 



Mr. C. H. Talbot read his paper, entitled " A Plea for the 

 Further Investigation of the Architectural History of Longleat," to 

 a large audience. This was followed by a paper, written by the 

 late Rev. Dk. Dixon and read by Mr. S. B. Dixon, on " Notes on 

 a Sun-Dial from the Monastery of Ivy Church" — the dial itself 

 being exhibited in illustration of the paper; and, lastly, came a 

 paper on the " History of Hill Deverill," by Mr. J. U. Powei.i^ 

 This last, it is hoped, may in the future be printed in a more extended 

 form. The other papers will be found in the present number of the 

 Magazine. 



The intervals between the papers were enlivened with vocal and 

 instrumental music by the Rev. R. Powley, the Rev. J. F. Welsh, 

 and Mr. Jackson. 



THURSDAY, JULY IItu. 



The previous evening had been rainy, and the morning opened 

 with a shower or two, but as the day wore on and the party started 

 in breaks at 9.15 from the Town Hall, the weather cleared and 

 nothing could have been more delightful than the drive througl 



