DR. BUCKLAND’S ADDRESS. 9 
rather than qualifications—the lack of other persons better 
qualified and near at hand—and a taste for, rather than 
acquirements in, archaeology and natural science, have 
placed them in the position in which they now stand. 
They would rejoice to quit that position, and hand over 
the direction of the society to abler hands; and would 
suggest that if hereafter, in any one place in this county, 
a body of men can be found really qualified from their 
literary attainments to conduct our affairs, that place 
would be, for all purposes of this society, the most central 
‚position in Somersetshire.” 
The CHAIRMAN announced that Lord Portman, the 
Dean of Llandaff, and Sir Thomas Phillips regretted their 
inability to be present. The latter would prove a valuable 
friend, for his collection of manuscripts was one of the 
largest in the kingdom, and he had promised to supply them 
with copies of such documents as he possessed that referred 
to the county. Sir H. Ellis, of the British Museum, 
had also kindly promised his co-operation, as had Sir C. 
Trevelyan, of the Treasury, Professor Sedgwick, and Dr. 
Wilson, Secretary of the Society of Antiquaries at Edin- 
burgh. The Chairman then introduced 
The DEAN OF WESTMINSTER, (Dr. Buckland,) who said 
that as it had been his lot first to see the light in a con- 
tiguous county—being a native of Axminster—he was no 
stranger to the county of Somerset : and although it had 
never been his good fortune to possess property within the 
borders of that county—he meant property under that 
usual denomination, which those who had it not, called 
“ dirty acres’—yet he had property in the county which he 
valued more highly. Scientific men were often justly 
