Mr. J. Britton’s Address. 47 
company then in the city. I made my appearance on the stage, 
but was thenceforward estranged from Mr. Wyndham. It was 
some time before I was made conscious of the offence, and longer 
before I was favoured with his renewed correspondence and 
advice. 
In the “Beauties of Wiltshire” I have related the history of 
that publication, which led to a general connection and intercourse 
with the county. That work gave origin to the “Architectural 
Antiquities,” ““The Cathedral Antiquities,” and lastly, though not 
the least in my estimation, the “ Wiltshire Archeological and 
Natural History Society.” This association, I do most ardently 
hope, may prosper, progressively advancing in popularity and use- 
ess, and thereby becoming an honour to the county, and also 
to its founders and patrons. 
In the Auto-biography which I am now writing and printing, 
will be found other notices of this Society, and of my personal 
connection with many public persons, and of distinguished places 
in the county of my birth. 
In July 1849, I printed copies of the following address to be 
circulated at the congress of the “Archeological Institute” at 
Salisbury, and now repeat it to show what was then said and done, 
though ineffectually, towards establishing a Society similar to that 
which we this day meet to inaugurate :— 
“The British Association for the Advancement of Science has 
long been, and continues to be, not only popular, but eminently 
interesting and useful in its working and results. Archxologiéal 
Societies have followed in its wake, and imitated some of its principles 
and regulations; and they have given a new impulse and direction to 
that department of Topography which relates to local antiquities. 
It is only eight years since the British Archeological Association 
commenced its ambulatory course, by visiting the metropolitan city 
of Canterbury, where by exploring, lecturing, and conversing on 
the antiquities of the place and its vicinity, as well as by publishing 
subsequent accounts, it produced a powerful effect on many old 
inhabitants of the city, and on several old and young antiquaries, 
in the British metropolis, and different parts of the country. Other 
Societies, in imitation of the parent, have since been established; 
and though principally limited to a single county, some of them 
have enrolled numerous members, realised large subscriptions, and 
published several useful and valuable works. 
“Following such examples, and: profiting by experience, it is 
thought advisable to convert the Wiltshire Topographical Society, 
into a Wiltshire Archeological and Natural History Institute, with 
the hope of rendering it more popular, and consequently more use- 
ful than the former had been. 
“The history of the Wiltshire Topographical Socicty and the 
nature of its publications, shew that there are few persons, either 
duly qualified or willing to write a comprehensive history of a 
