THE RETROSPECT OF THE YEAR. 15 



Two Hundred and Seventy-fifth Anniversary of 

 THE Landing at Plymouth. 



Regular meeting, Monday, December 16, 1895. The 

 Secretary called the attention of the members present to 

 a notice received from the Plymouth Pilgrim Society, with 

 an invitation to this Society to be present at its celebration, 

 December 21, 1895. 



It was voted that Hon. Robert S. Rantoul and Francis 

 H. Lee, Esq., be requested to represent the Institute at 

 the meeting of the Pilgrim Society, December 21, 1895, 

 and those gentlemen attended. 



The President of the Pilgrim Society, at the dinner, 

 spoke as follows : The Essex Institute of Salem responds 

 to our invitation, not by letter, but by its representatives 

 in person. That Institute has done a great service in 

 preserving the history and traditions of the Puritan found- 

 ers of Salem ; and I have the pleasure of introducing to 

 you its representative, Hon. Robert S. Rantoul. 



Mr. Rantoul's remarks were reported as follows : 



Let me thank you, sir, that in the presence of this array 

 of older bodies, you have not omitted to extend a hand 

 to the Essex Institute. We are a young society, — pain- 

 fully young, — much younger than you, not yet count- 

 ing our tiist half century of life ; — but we are vigorous 

 and sprightly and active and growing. We are doing 

 good work and, like all jn-omising children, we like to be 

 noticed. 



One may well stand abashed, Mr. President, in the 

 presence of such a scene as this. When I recall the mighty 

 voices to which this spot has echoed — for what great ora- 

 tor has our continent produced who has not, first or last, 

 planted his feet and lifted up his voice on Plymouth 

 Rock, — who has not found here, first or last, the Mecca 



