243 
Summary of Proceedings and Excursions for the year 1902-3. 
By the Honorary Secretary. 
Mr. PRESIDENT AND GENTLEMEN, 
The Bath Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club 
commenced its new year by meeting at the Royal Literary 
and Scientific Institution on the Anniversary of its institution, 
February 18th, and re-elected all the past officials to their several 
posts, heartily thanking them for their past services. The Treasurer, 
Surgeon-Major Mantell, announced that the funds of the Club 
were in excellent condition, standing now with the money on 
deposit at the National Provincial Bank of England at £76 6s. 7d. 
in favour of the Club, not reckoning the interest which had 
accrued on the deposit of £40. The Club during the year has, 
to its deep regret, lost several Members of long standing by death, 
and a Honorary Member, whose name formerly appeared as a 
contributor to several papers in our Proceedings. Prebendary 
Earle, Rector of Swainswick, who died on January 31st, 1903, 
_ joined the Club in 1864, and was the Member of longest standing. 
John Earle was Professor of Anglo-Saxon in the University of 
Oxford, and the son of a small landed proprietor who farmed his 
own estate in South Devon, was born in 1824, received the 
rudiments of education at Kingsbridge Grammar School, and 
q was (says the Zimes) thence transferred to Oxford. His home 
authorities, fearful of the Tractarian movement, then in its zenith, 
entered him at Magdalen Hall, which was held to be a safe refuge 
from the rising waters. It was not a distinguished house in 
_ Oxford literature or society, but Earle never regretted the chance 
_ which brought him into close relationship with good Dr. Macbride, 
_ the Principal, and into still more intimate friendship with the 
4 Vice-Principal, Dr. Jacobson, who became afterwards Regius 
Professor of Divinity and Bishop of Chester. But it was a curious 
_ inversion of the anticipations of his friends when, after obtaining 
