PREFACE. 



the Society, in common with the Nation, and to record the sustaining 

 encouragement "vvhich tlie Queen and the Prince of Wales have con- 

 descended to give to the Society. 



Here, perhaps, it might be thouglit that my subject should end; but 

 practically it cannot be said to be complete without a record of the pro- 

 ceedings during the year of the International Exhibition, which must be 

 reckoned part of the Prince's work, as being the mere natural and necessary 

 sequence of his plans and arrangements. So also an account of the com- 

 pletion of the Memorial of 1851 was essential to wind up the history of 

 that important Monument to our Great and Good Prince. This History, 

 therefore, may be said to be brought down to the 10th of June, 1863. 



After completing the record of the History of the Society, I have 

 devoted the rest of the work to a description of the Garden at South 

 Kensington, with full details and illustrations of its decorations ; not only 

 speaking of those which have been permanently placed in it, but of the 

 more important of those which found a temporary home there during 

 the period of the International Exhibition. 



The materials from which this work has been drawn are chiefly the 

 authentic records preserved in the archives of the Society. I have thank- 

 fully to acknowledge much valuable information received from Dr. Lindley 

 and Sir Wentworth Dilke, regarding the past history of the Society ; 



