The Rev. Prebendary Fane’s Address. 257 
from the disturbances of his times, and amidst the hospitable repose 
of Longleat was enabled gradually to prepare himself for that 
passage to another world, which was so easy and so holy, that it 
seemed, I may say, more like the shifting from one scene to another, 
than like the rapid shock of a passage from time to eternity! 
Again I might remind you that in this part of Wiltshire is collected 
together the finest collection of ancient British remains that is to 
be found in the world. I allude to the collection at Stourhead, in 
the possession of the present Sir Hugh Hoare. 
After stating that the Bishop of the diocese would be presently 
among them, and that nothing but illness prevented the Dean also 
from being present, the Rev. Chairman proceeded :—I was last week 
privileged to see the completion of the greatest work in ecclesiology 
that this county has presented within the recollection of any human 
being. That magnificent building, the Chapter-house at Salisbury— 
which was left, as it were, mouldering away under the neglect and 
contempt of past ages—I have lived to see restored, not only to its 
pristine, but something more than its pristine beauty, by the energy 
of the cathedral body—by the energy of the Bishop and the Dean, 
acting upon the laity and the clergy, on the strongest of all grounds 
on which they could base their appeal—viz., that of respect to the 
memory of our late diocesan. I say, I have seen that magnificent 
building restored to its pristine beauty; and if this Society had 
done no other work than this—if its members had done no more 
than call the attention of the clergy and laity—as at the meeting 
at Salisbury was especially the case—to that most interesting 
building, I should feel perfectly satisfied, and amply rewarded for 
any exertion that I have ever made in its behalf. Perhaps a better 
contrast between the times which are past and the times which are 
present could hardly be found than in this restoration of the 
Chapter-house. In times past—say 150 years ago—the Chapter- 
house at Salisbury might have been seen very much in the position— 
I say it without irreverence—of a man who is intoxicated. It was 
reeling on its legs, and the wind had blown it round to a position 
from which a little more would have blown it over altogether. 
What did they do? You may suppose that they all assembled, 
