4 TWELFTH ANNUAL MEETING. 



however, be forgotten tbat it lias been by tbe voluntaiy 

 cxertlons of tbe members tbat tbis has been effected; and 

 your commlttee again rcpeat tbat tbe only effectual means 

 of increasing tbe usefulness of tbe Society is to increase as 

 mucb as possible tbe funds at its disposal for carrying out 

 tbe purposes for wbieb it was estabHsbed. 



"Tbese objects bave not been lost sigbt of during tbe 

 present yearj and tbougb, owing to a variety of circum- 

 stances, particularly tbe financial dlfficultles before alluded 

 to, no great advance bas been made towards tbe altainment 

 of our chlef desideratum — a good County History ; still tbat 

 object bas been kej^t steadily in view, and it is confidently 

 boped will eventually be obtained. 



" The Society appears certainly not to bave lost ground 

 in tbe public favour. Tbe number of members is very 

 regularly kept up, tbe loss by deatb and cbange of 

 residence being falrly supplled by tbe accession of new 

 members. 



" Many valuable additions bave been made to tbe Museum 

 in botb departments, and tbe arrangement of tbe specimens 

 of Natural History very mucb Improved. For tbIs tbe 

 Society is in great measure indebted to tbe exertions of 

 Ml'. W. A. Sanford, and Mr. Parfitt, tbe curator. 



" Conversazione meetings bave been beld during tbe 

 winter at tbe Sbire Hall, Taunton, and appear still to 

 possess interest witb tbe educated public. 



" On tbe wbole, your commlttee feel tbat tbey may 

 safely congratulate tbe Society upon tbe progress it bas 

 made in increasing tbe feeling in favour of arcbasological 

 and natural science, in its prospects of stabllity and 

 increased usefulness, as well as upon tbe generally evinced 

 desire of its members to assist in producing all tbose good 

 results to llterature generally, and particularly to tbe 



