Wednesday, July Wth. 



125 



This part of the proceedings, however, appears to have been omitted 

 of late years. 



A little distance beyond this the line followed by the old town 

 walls along the crest of the declivity to the hollow way is very 

 clear. On the way, those interested in botany had an opportunity 

 of seeing the remarkable way in which the yellow Mimulus, said 

 to be an escape from a garden adjoining, has established itself in 

 masses in all the waters round. 



THE ANNIVERSARY DINNER, at the Bell Hotel, was more 

 largely attended than has been the case at the corresponding 

 function for some years — some forty-five being present, the only 

 toast proposed being that of the Queen. 



THE CONVERSAZIONE held afterwards at the Town Hall was 

 also well attended, the company numbering over seventy. The 

 hall itself had been most tastefully decorated and prepared for the 

 occasion by a committee of ladies — who had also thoughtfully 

 provided tea and coffee to sustain the members in the interval 

 between the papers. Amongst the decorations hung on the walls 

 were several Dervish flags from the Soudan. The first item on the 

 programme wa^ The President's interesting addresss on 

 " MALMESBURY," which will appear in a later number of the 

 Magazine. For this a vote of thanks was proposed by the Yicar, 

 the Eev. G. Windsor Tucker, and seconded by the Eev. Canon 

 Livingstone, of Brinkworth. 



The Eev. E. H. Goddard afterwards gave an address on the 

 MALMESBURY BOROUGH MACES, 1 which were most kindly 

 exhibited for the occasion by the old Corporation— a rare privilege, 

 for the four maces are jealously guarded in a chest with three locks 

 by the burgesses, who look on them as the insignia of their ancient 

 dignity, a dignity that they have entirely declined to hand over to 

 the new-fangled Mayor, Aldermen, and Councillors, established in 

 1886, who now govern the town, but do not govern the lands given 

 by King Athelstan. Mr. Goddard described the evolution of the 

 mace as we know it now, as a symbol of office, from the ancient 



1 See Wilts Arch. Mag., vol. xxviii., p. 30. 



