KING ALFRED’S STRATEGY. 35 
La * 
Erening Peeling. 
Dr. Harrıson favoured the meeting with an elaborate 
paper on Radiata, or Radiated Animals, of which there is a 
valuable collection in the Museum of the Frome Literary 
and Scientific Institution. 
Dr. WooDFORDE adyerted to the importance of keeping 
meteorological registers throughout the county, and ex- 
pressed his readiness to co-operate with any who might 
wish to enter on the work. 
The Rev. Dr. GILES proposed in a few words to point 
out the masterly skill with which King Alfred planned and 
executed, in the immediate neighbourhood of Frome, the 
military maneuvres by which the Danes were defeated at 
Eddington, and the whole of England, for many years 
after, saved from their ravages. 
In the first week of January A.D. 872, whilst Alfred was 
reposing with a small band of faithful soldiers at Chippen- 
ham, a royal seat of the kings of Wessex, Guthrum the 
Dane came upon him with overwhelming forces, and after 
an obstinate fight, drove the king into the wilds and woods 
of Selwood Forest. At the same instant, three other 
Danish chiefs, Hinguar, Hubba, and Halfden, fell upon 
Earl Ordgar, on the northern coast of Devon. Here, 
however, the enemy were defeated. The castle of Kinwith 
gave refreshment and courage to the English, until they 
sallied forth and cut the Danes in pieces. The king 
knowing that Somersetshire, Dorsetshire, and Devonshire 
formed the strength and now indeed the last hope of his 
kingdom, caused his men to disperse westward, so that the 
enemy, finding no traces of a foe remaining, gave them- 
selves up to pleasure, and seem to have been completely 
F 
