THE FIRST WINTER MEETING. XXX111. 



convey to his father their appreciation of his great kindness and 

 generosity. 



EXHIBIT. 



BY E. SLATEE, ESQ. : 

 An old MS. copy of the Journal of the House of Commons for the years 1688-9. 



Mr. SLATER believed that this MS. was part of the original 

 Journal of the House of Commons, but the original Journal is 

 still in the library of the House. The MS. is probably part of 

 one of the many copies which have been made of the Journal. 

 Mr. Slater read some interesting portions of the MS. ; but, as 

 the complete Journal is in print and accessible to students, we 

 have not spared the space to reproduce them. 



"THE NATURALIST IN AUSTRALIA." This was the subject of 

 an instructive and entertaining paper read by the Rev. C. W. H. 

 DICKER, and illustrated profusely with drawings and botanical 

 specimens. The paper is printed in this volume. 



A FAMOUS LOCAL LAWSUIT. Mr. ALFRED POPE exhibited 

 the volume of original notes on the memorable action tried by 

 Mr. Justice Littledale and a special jury of seven at the Dorset 

 Summer Assize at Dorchester on July i7th, 1826 the action 

 brought by the Rev. George Wood, Rector of Holy Trinity, 

 against the Rev. John Morton Colson, Rector of St. Peter's, to 

 obtain possession of the old glebe field between Charles Street 

 and Acland Road. The book contained the following extract 

 from the Dorset County Chronicle and Somersetshire Gazette of 

 July zyth, 1 826, in which an account of the trial was published : 



"If the verdict be not disturbed, Mr. Wood, as Hector of Holy Trinity, as 

 well as all future rectors of that church, will be entitled not only to the glebe 

 land in question, but to the living of St. Peter's as belonging to that of Trinity, 

 to which latter church, with St. Peter's as a chapel annexed to it (according to the 

 present decision), the Feoffees of the School and Almshouses have the right of 

 presentation ; and the presentation by the King of the defendant Mr. Colson to 

 St. Peter's becomes a nullity." 



The meeting ended shortly before five o'clock. 



