52 THE RETROSPECT OF THE YEAR. 



built upon the old Garrison house principle, and its archi- 

 tecture is like that of two centuries ago. Mr. Holmes says 

 that it was built in 1651. The afternoon session was held 

 in the Town Hall. The President in the chair. Vice Presi- 

 dent, Eobert S. Eantoul of Salem, was introduced and read 

 an interesting paper entitled" The Essex Junto The Long 

 Embargo And The Great Topsfield Caucus of 1808." * 

 Mr. Charles J. Peabody and Dea. Augustine Peabody of 

 Topsfield gave interesting facts and traditions of the town. 

 Hon. J. J. H. Gregory of Marblehead spoke of Forestry 

 and the cultivation of trees. Mr. John H. Gould read 

 extracts from the records of the town. He is the present 

 town clerk. Samuel P. Fowler of Danvers, now and 

 ever since its organization a member of the Institute, gave 

 reminiscences of its history, stating many interesting facts 

 in that connection. Hon. N. A. Horton of Salem made a 

 few remarks supplementary to Mr. Rantoul's paper. Af- 

 ter the adoption of a vote of thanks to the people of 

 Topsfield for their cooperation and courtesies, adjourned. 



MEETINGS. Regular meetings occur on the first and 

 third Monday evenings of each month. At these or 

 special meetings, the following communications were re- 

 ceived or lectures delivered. 



On Monday, Oct. 9, 1882, Mr. Adoniram C. Orne of 

 Marblehead read a paper " On popular errors in regard to 

 the average duration of life." 5 



Monday, Nov. 20, 1882. Mr. John Robinson gave an 

 account of the opening of a shellheap under the direction 

 of the Peabody Academy of Science, on the banks of the 

 Ipswich River ; a large and valuable collection of articles 



Seethe Hist. Coll. Essex Inst., Vol. XIX, p. 226. 

 4 See Bulletin Essex Inst., Vol. XIV, p. 133. 



