2 TENTH ANNUAL MEETING . 



Report, vvhile cougratulating you lipon the continued pros- 

 perity and favourable prospects of the Society, desire 

 before entering upon any other subject, to call your atten- 

 tion to the fact, that the usefulness of the Society is in a 

 great degree diminished, and its exertions much impeded, 

 by the comparatively small amount of funds at its disposal. 

 In consequence of this the Committee have been unable to 

 make much progress tovvards the attainment of some of the 

 chief objects for which the Society was established, as might 

 have been expected from the number of its members and 

 the learning, talent and zeal, displayed by many of them. 

 More particularly is this deficiency feit with regard to that 

 great desideratum — the eventual production of a County 

 Mistory vvorthy of Somersetshire. The investigation and 

 collection of materials for this purpose, to be of much real 

 service, must necessarily require a great expenditure of time 

 und money ; and though our Museum is gradually becom- 

 ing rieh in relics of antiquity, natural curiosities, and valu- 

 able documents, still much might be done, if the Society 

 were richer, to render it a depository of materials for a 

 County History, and superinteud its publication, which, 

 uuder present circumstances, cannot be attempted. 



" Again, it frcquently happens that a small peeuniary 

 grant, as in the case of the British sepulchre at Wellow, 

 mav be the means of preserving an invaluable relic, 

 but at present, while they have not overlooked any pres- 

 siir-; claims, the Society is compelled to be very sparing 

 of such grants. An additional outlay on our publications, 

 particularly on the illustrations, would certainly render 

 them far more worthy of a Society such as our own. The 

 Finance Committee, with the Treasurers, have been re- 

 quested to direct their attention to this matter, and their 

 sucraestions as to the best means of increasing the income 



