92 



Society. A kind Providence had crowned their efforts with signal 

 success, and enabled many of them from year to year to assemble in 

 that place for the promotion of their favorite art. But all were not 

 there ! Since the last Anniversary, two of the founders of the So- 

 ciety, who had occupied official positions since its formation, had 

 fulfilled their earthly mission, and would meet with them no more : 

 Rev. Ralph Sanger, D. D., for many years a resident of Dover, 

 and Vice President of the Society, died at Cambridge, Mass., May 

 6th, aged 74 years. He Avas one of the pioneers and founders of 

 the Association, a gentleman highly appreciated by all who knew 

 him, for his interest in the cause of Agriculture, for his character- 

 istic modesty, his genial temperament, his suavity of manners, and 

 for his eminent Christian virtues. They had also to mourn the 

 decease of Hon. Benjamin V. French, of Dorchester, another Vice 

 President, who died April 10, aged 68 years. Mr. French was 

 ardently devoted to the interest of terraculture in its most com- 

 prehensive sense. He had held important official positions in the 

 Agricultural and Horticultural Societies of the State and country. 

 Few men had been more devoted to the cultivation of the soil, 

 and few more strongly attached to rural life and rural happiness. 

 Even to the close of life these were cherished objects. 



Those worthy men had fallen in the great battle of life, but those 

 present still hved to promote the cause so dear to their hearts, 

 and to execute plans which they helped to inaugurate, and around 

 which their fondest hopes had clustered. 



Mr. Wilder, in turning from the past to the present, congratu- 

 lated the Society on the Exhibition of the day. Like its prede- 

 cessors, it had given evidence of improvement, and although de- 

 prived of an important department of a Cattle Show, the cattle 

 themselves, it had in several respects surpassed the most sanguine 

 expectations of its friends. Mr. Wilder closed with an urgent 

 appeal to the members to attain to a still higher degree of excel- 

 lence in all the industrial arts, and to keep pace with the progress 

 of science and the march of civilization. 



The President then introduced the Hon. George S. Hillard, of 

 Boston, as the orator of the day. Mr. Hillard's address, which 

 was admirable in its tone, style, and character, was listened to 

 with undivided attention, and at its close was warmly applaud- 

 ed. [For Address, see page 9.] 



