240 The Fifth General Meeting. 



the loss whicli has been sustained by the cause of Natural History 

 generally in the decease of this good and courteous old man. 

 Moreover, as a Vice-President of the LinnsGan and Zoological 

 Societies, the zeal and energy which he displayed in the cause of 

 science will not readily be re-placed. 



But if Mr. Yarrell has been styled the father of British Zoology, 

 with no less truth has Mr. Britton been designated the father of 

 British Archseology. Mr. Britton was personally better known to 

 you, and it is scarcely necessary for your Committee to remind you 

 of what you will yourselves recollect, the very active part which, 

 notwithstanding his great age, he has taken at each of these our 

 annual meetings ; not only attending himself, and always with a 

 paper in his pocket to be read if occasion required, but using all 

 his powers to stir up others to a like activity in the cause. His 

 energy and animation on those occasions will long remain impressed 

 on our memories. There was a kind of youthful elasticity and 

 playfulness about him, even at our general meeting at Warminster 

 last year, only a few months before his decease, which gave us a 

 hope that he would have been spared for some years longer. More- 

 over, it is not too much to state that, but for his indefatigable ex- 

 ertions in the cause of archaeology in his native county, this Society 

 would not have existed. For it is to be remembered that this 

 Society arose, in the first place, to take possession of those numerous 

 papers, books, drawings, and maps relating to Wiltshire, which Mr. 

 Britton had taken so much pains and so many years to collect. 

 Neither need we dwell on his merits as an archeeologist, or our loss 

 in his decease; but we would call your attention to the memorials 

 which have been proposed as suitable tributes to his great worth 

 by this and other kindred societies. In addition to the admirable 

 sketch of his life, which appeared in the last number of our Mag- 

 azine, and a very excellent portrait of him, which will appear in 

 the forthcoming number, our Society is collecting subscriptions from 

 its members and others towards erecting a memorial in the Church 

 of his native parish, Kington St. Michael, and also for providing a 

 small annuity for his widow, to either or both of which your 

 Committee would recommend your subscriptions. We may add 



