THE RETROSPECT OF THE YEAR. 119 



records, documents, letters, etc., all showed a rather illit- 

 erate people at the time of the breaking out of the witch- 

 craft. 



MR. JOHN H. SEARS was the next speaker. He exhib- 

 ited and described certain plants of the locality where the 

 meeting took place. He also gave a botanical record of 

 Essex County, with the names of those who had published 

 lists of plants from time to time. 



At this point, a discussion sprang up regarding the na- 

 tional flower, Mr. Phippen advocating the Kalmia. He 

 was followed by Rev. Mr. Rice to the snme effect, and 

 Rev. Mr. Ewing of Danverswho offered a vote proposing 

 the Kalmia, as the national flower, which was adopted. 



MR. ALDEN P. WHITE read a letter from Whittier, dat- 

 ed at Portland to his cousin at Oak Knoll, regretting that 

 he was not able to be at home to welcome the Essex In- 

 stitute. Mr. Whittier said, "Danvers will feel honored by 

 the visit, and I am sure all its citizens will do all in their 

 power to make the occasion one of pleasure and interest. 

 The Institute is creditable to our county and has already 

 accomplished much, and its prospects of future growth 

 and usefulness are full of encouragement." 



MR. MASSEY expressed pleasure at the visit of the In- 

 stitute and referred to its work, saying that one object in 

 life he believed to be the elevation of man and he was glad 

 to welcome the society himself and in the name of the 

 Danvers Improvement Society. 



MR. N. A. HORTON offered the following vote which 

 was unanimously carried. 



Voted, That the thanks of the Essex Institute are due 

 and are hereby tendered to Dudley A. Massey, Esq., Pres- 

 ident of the Danvers Improvement Society, in behalf of 

 that society, and to Mr. Massey for the use of hi& beau- 

 tiful grounds for the meeting of the Institute ; also to the 



