Rev. J. E. Jackson's Address. 37 
taken the liberty now of saying to you, which is this: If we desire 
to see the History of Wiltshire finished, the best, though I will not 
say the only way to do it, is by such a codperation as that which this 
Society contemplates. I do not mean that all its members are to turn 
writers and antiquaries, and to involve themselves in wearisome 
researches, any more than that all its members are to turn geologists 
and beat Mr. Wm. Cunnington’s collection. Neither do I mean to 
say that I allude to pecuniary assistance from funds of this Society, 
as likely to be of such amount as would be sufficient to bring out 
any work of magnitude, were any such forthcoming. The funds of 
the Society will probably be, for some time, only enough for its 
ordinary expenses, or to be laid out in purchasing objects of local 
interest, as books or collections which it may be desirable to rescue 
from destruction. To meet any publication of magnitude, such as 
the additional volume or volumes which would be necessary to com- 
plete the history of Wilts in the style of Sir R. C. Hoare’s work, or 
even in one much less costly, we must hope that other means will 
be forthcoming, when they are wanted. And therefore in alluding 
to the subject of aid to be expected from this Society, it is not so 
much pecuniary assistance that I mean, as help of another kind. I 
mean that help and encouragement which may be derived from a 
concurrence of persons of similar pursuits; by exciting general 
interest; by making local history and antiquities popular; by 
making them better known in their details; by stirring up the spirit 
and the good will of the many, to favour the labours of the few. 
It is in the power of the landed gentry who may join us, to assist, 
by communicating (of course under necessary restrictions and when 
properly applied to) any curious information that may be lying on 
the shelves of their muniment rooms. It is in the power of gentle- 
men of the profession of the law to assist, by their local knowledge 
of property, and by the preservation of ancient documents that fall 
into their hands. It is in the power of the Clergy to render con- 
siderable aid; and they will, I am sure, permit me to suggest one 
mode of doing it. 
The church is always a building of importance, and very often 
the only one, in a parish. It is a repository of parish history. Its 
monuments and memorials, of whatever kind, often very interesting 
’ in themselves as works of art, guide us by the inscriptions, the 
names, dates, and events, which they mention, and still more fre- 
uently perhaps by the heraldic emblems which they contain, to 
the facts and truth of the remote past. 
With respect to the ancient heraldry on church windows, and 
other devices in wood and stone that may be found about the build- 
ing, these are not generally intelligible, except to persons who have 
made county genealogy part of their study. When this has been 
done, it is curious how slight an indication is required to put an 
antiquary on the right scent. If he has a quick eye and knows 
