XXXVI. THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING. 



of the important business on the agenda. He was creating a 

 new precedent, because they had never had an out-going Presi- 

 dent before. Their dear friend, Mr. Mansel-Pleydell, died in 

 office, after having been their President for about a quarter of a 

 century. And he (the speaker) had the honour of succeeding 

 him, so that he was the first out-going President. 



The PRESIDENT-ELECT, who took his seat amid cordial 

 applause, 



thanked the meeting for the great honour which they had done him in 

 electing him to the presidency of that large and important Club. When Lord 

 Eustace proposed him as President he naturally felt some hesitation in accepting 

 it ; but other friends came forward and kindly supported his wishes, so that he 

 consented to take the office. He felt the more honoured by their choice because 

 he knew that they must have become pretty well acquainted with his faults and 

 failings during the ten years in which he had been so intimately in connection 

 with the Club as its Secretary. But, as they had chosen him, knowing these 

 things, he hoped that they would not expect from him more than he should be 

 able to give them as their President. He need not say that he should do his best 

 to fill the office as well as he could. 



The PRESIDENT-ELECT stated that the next business was the 

 election of an Hon. Secretary in succession to Dr. Colley 

 March. 



Lord Eustace Cecil had already spoken of all that Dr. March had done for the 

 Club, but it was not, he thought, known to many that, besides giving his talents, 

 time, and thought to the service of the Club, he had also spent a considerable 

 amount of money, especially iiithe excavations of these lynchets - a work whereby, 

 at his own cost, he had rendered most valuable service to the Club and to science 

 generally. If anything more was done in the same direction in the future, it 

 was possible that the Club might use a little of their own money for the purpose 

 if their worthy Treasurer would allow it. 



He proposed a vote of thanks to Dr. March, which was 

 seconded by Lord EUSTACE CECIL. 



The new PRESIDENT said he had expected that 



there would be great difficulty in finding a Secretary, for the work was 

 onerous, in spite of the help given by Mr. Pouncy as Assistant Secretary, but he 

 was glad to tell them that a gentleman well known to most of them present, the 

 Rev. Herbert Pentin, M.A., Vicar of Milton Abbey, had allowed himself to be 

 nominated, and was willing to take the post. He did not think that they could 

 have a more suitable man for the post. Mr. Pentin was, he believed, a very 

 good archaeologist, and he said he was willing to do all he could for the Club. 



