Rev. J. E. Jackson’s Address. 29 
to mention a collection of fossils formed chiefly in the neighbourhood 
of Bradford by the late Mr. Channing Pearce, a surgeon of that 
town. I have had many opportunities of seeing it, having lived for 
several years at no great distance from that place: and a more 
beautiful private collection I never did see. Mr. Pearce died some 
years ago, and his museum was removed to Bath, where, I believe, 
it still remains entire. We are in Somerset again; but we have 
full right to go there this time, for the collection I speak of was 
undoubtedly formed in this county. 
But you who live at Devizes need not follow Mr Pearce’s fossils 
to Bath; for you have in your own town, a private museum, which, 
so far as it goes, may challenge competition with any other. I speak 
of that which is, of course, well known as formed by Mr. Wm. 
Cunnington; and which is one instance more of the abundance and 
variety of the illustrations which your own neighbourhood presents, 
to tempt you to the study of this branch of Natural History. 
Though it is one of the latest that has been brought forward in this 
country, and is therefore in that sense very young; yet in another, 
Geology is extremely old; for it deals with things that are of immense 
antiquity. Compared with fossil organic remains, those which we 
commonly call Antiquities are absolutely modern. As for Nineveh 
it is a history of yesterday. This will not I hope deter you from 
approaching with respect, the Archeology of Wiltshire, i.e., the 
study of those monuments which owe their origin to the art and 
labour of mankind. 
Standing as we do within a few miles of British earthworks, 
temples and camps; of Roman ways and stations; of cathedrals and 
churches built in Saxon and Norman times; of the remains of 
castles, religious houses, and residences of ancient gentry, all more 
or less connected with past English History; it is needless to say 
that those who are curious in such matters have surely plenty here 
to inquire into; and those who are not curious have plenty to tempt 
them to become so. 
It is a little strange that such places are, so often as they are, 
allowed to crumble to pieces and disappear, without its being ascer- 
tained when they were built, who lived in them, and how they were 
destroyed. It is remarkable that standing as they have done for so 
many years, their history has not long since been fixed with accuracy, 
and placed within easy reach of all who wish to know it. I believe 
that people even of the commonest sort, who have no leisure or means 
of attending to such studies themselves, still like to hear what others 
are able to tell them about objects of antiquity, with the sight of 
which they are familiar. No places are more in favour with holiday- 
folk than a picturesque old monastery, or castle yard. There is a 
sort of charm about ivy-covered towers and mouldering arches; 
where great people once lived, though who they were nobody knows; 
and where great deeds were done, though what they were nobody 
