General Account of Inaugural Meeting. v 
of various kinds and in various forms—suggestions sometimes 
designed to meet the requirements of the moment, and sometimes of 
amore permanent nature. I might also add of my own personal 
knowledge, that which is a very great qualification to a President of 
a Society like this, namely, that amongst the many gentlemen of 
whose old acquaintance I can boast, as dating back to the days when 
we were schoolfellows together at Harrow, I know of no one more 
than Mr. Scrope possessing the qualifications of urbanity, kindness, 
readiness of eloquence, and other excellent qualities, rendering him 
peculiarly fitted to preside over such a Society as we have to-day 
instituted. Without further preface, therefore—regretting that I 
cannot do it better, but doing it with all my heart—I beg to propose 
that George Poulett Scrope, Esq., be requested to accept the office 
of first President of the Society. (Cheers.) 
Mr. H. M. Crarxz, in a few words, seconded the proposition, which 
was put and carried with acclamation. 
Mr. Scrore said—in obeying your command to take the chair as 
the first President of the Society which you have now established, 
I feel myself wholly overwhelmed by the unexpected compliment 
paid me—not in respect of such appointment, for that I was led to 
expect—but in the far too flatterimg and favourable terms in which 
my friend, Mr. Sotheron, has spoken of my qualifications for the 
office. I regret these encomiums the more, because I feel myself 
inadequate either to do justice to the duties of the office, or to 
satisfy my own views in that matter. I can only say, in accepting 
it—upon the ground merely of the strong interest I feel, and have 
always felt, in the study of those pursuits which it is the main 
object of this Society to propagate and encourage—that I must trust 
to your indulgence to overlook the manifest deficiencies which will 
show themselves very shortly ; and at the same time to request you 
to be kind enough to allow me one further indulgence before I 
address myself, at greater length, to the business of the day—namely 
to permit me to propose a resolution to the meeting for this purpose: 
—Weare honoured to-day with the presence of the Lord Lieutenant 
of the county: his time is not his own,—it belongs to the public, 
and is most valuable; and I do not think it is desirable he should be 
detained during the time which I shall probably consume in reading 
a very dull paper. At the same time you would not wish him to 
withdraw, without having the opportunity of thanking him for 
being so good as to take the office upon him, which you have now 
requested him to fill. Before I proceed to what has been advertized, 
rather too prominently, as an “Inaugural Address,” I therefore’ 
venture to ask you to allow me to propose the thanks of the meeting 
to his Lordship for his kindness in permitting himself to be nominated 
as Patron of this Society. (Cheers). 
Mr. Joun Brirron said—It is with very singular gratification I 
second the motion Mr. Scrope has proposed to you. I have had the 
