44 BULLETIN OF THE ESSEX INSTITUTE. 



America. The hooks are now collected in an alcove, 

 which bears Dr. Bentley's name. We have the publica- 

 tions of the Essex Institute upon our shelves, another 

 cause of gratitude to Salem. 



Our objects are in many respects similar to yours in the 

 collection and preservation of early Americana, of which 

 we have a large store, and in the promotion of historical 

 and literary enquiry, and in the investigation of archaeo- 

 logical questions relating especially to this Continent. 

 Our publications consist of the proceedings of stated 

 meetings and the editing of manuscripts of which we are 

 the custodians. 



Among our local societies in Worcester we have two 

 to which I belong and both of them have received much 

 benefit from studying the system you have pursued and 

 I believe have copied some of your methods. The Wor- 

 cester Society of Antiquity has a building erected for its 

 purposes, containing a hall for its meetings seating three 

 hundred persons, a library of ten thousand volumes, and 

 a museum of local historical curiosities and paintings. 

 The building is open to the public every week day after- 

 noon, and stated meetings are held every month at which 

 essays are read and courses of lectures are given each 

 winter by eminent men. Once or twice each 3'ear the 

 Society visits localities of historic interest. The pro- 

 ceedings of the Society are issued in print and have now 

 reached their fourteenth volume. 



The Worcester Natural History Society is another 

 organization which owns the building that it occupies 

 and has classes in the different departments of Natural 

 Science. In former years it has held field-meetings 

 following largely the plan you have so successfully inaug- 

 urated. 



Not alone are societies benefited by the habit of inves- 



