2 General Account of Inaugural Meeting. 
chase being arranged by Mr. John Taylor, of Gower Street, a 
gentleman well acquainted with the value of literary property. It 
consists of a large number of original drawings of Salisbury 
Cathedral, and other ecclesiastical edifices in the county (some of 
which are now destroyed); of illustrated copies of Mr. Britton’s 
own works relating to Wiltshire; and of large gatherings of extracts 
from newspapers, &c., made by him through a long series of years. 
In addition to these may be mentioned the unique Celtic cabinet 
containing models of Stonehenge and Avebury, together with a 
considerable number of Books, MSS., &c., relating both to those 
remarkable monuments, and to others of a like kind in different 
parts of the world. 
“Tt is hoped that a Collection so useful to the Antiquary and the 
Topographer, may serve as the nucleus of a Repository, into which 
may flow by degrees, a much larger number of curious and in- 
teresting objects, illustrative both of the Natural History and 
Archeology of the County. 
“The next step of the Provisional Committee was taken on Nov. 
oth, in last year. It was then ‘resolved, that having secured 
Mr. Britton’s Collection, an endeavour be made to form a Society 
for the purpose of establishing a Museum and Library, and for 
the promotion of all objects connected with the elucidation and 
study of the general Topography of the County of Wilts.’ 
“Tn pursuance of this object a request was preferred to the 
Mayor and Corporation of Devizes for the use of a portion of the 
Town-Hall for the purposes of the Society, and for the deposit of 
the collection. This permission was most readily conceded; and 
the Committee proceeded accordingly to invite a meeting of the prin- 
cipal gentry of the County, which was held on the 4th of January 
last; when it was resolved that the Provisional Committee should 
have power to add to their number ; that they should make the ne- 
cessary arrangements for the formation of the Wilts Archeological 
and Natural History Society, and that a meeting of gentlemen inter- 
ested in the subject should be held about, or soon after, the following 
Easter.’ 
“Tt is unnecessary to enter at any length into the subsequent 
proceedings of the Provisional Committee. It may be sufficient to 
appeal to the favorable results which have hitherto attended their 
efforts. Many unforeseen hinderances have occurred which have 
delayed the Inaugural Meeting till the present time. Many 
objections had to be combated relating to the locality of the 
Museum and Collection; but there has been evinced on the whole 
an earnest desire in every part of the county to co-operate in the 
design; and up to this time 140 persons have enrolled themselves 
members of the Society which it is proposed this day to inaugurate. 
“Having now laid before the meeting a summary of their 
proceedings, it only remains for the Provisional Committee to 
