The Report for 1874. 119 



been brought forward, both from public and private sources ; and, 

 in shorty there is scarcely any branch of historical and antiquarian 

 research in connection with this county, the knowledge of which has 

 not materially boon advanced by the labours of our various contributors. 

 Tangible proof of this remark is furnished by the fourteen volumes 

 of the Magazine now before the public, of whose merits let an 

 appreciative public judge. 



" There is, however, one point on which the Committee in alluding 

 to the Magazine cannot be silent, and that is the very deep debt of 

 gratitude it owes to the labours of Canon Jackson; by whose pen 

 every one of these fourteen volumes has been greatly enriched, and 

 without whose accurate and interesting contributions our publication 

 would be very inferior to what it is. To Canon Jackson the Com- 

 mittee desires to tender its most hearty thanks at this period of its 

 history, and to assure him that it is keenly sensible of the large 

 share he has had in promoting the success of the Society during the 

 twenty-one years of its existence, while it earnestly hopes he will 

 continue bis invaluable labours in its behalf. 



" With such substantial evidence of progTess and prosperity the 

 Committee cannot but review the first twenty-one years of the 

 Society's existence with satisfaction, and pleasure. From small 

 beginnings it has advanced to its present numbers, which (we are 

 enabled to state on the authority of the Financial Secretary) never 

 stood so high at any previous period of its history as now, for we 

 have to-day 341 names on our books, and these members of the 

 Society, scattered throughout the length and breadth of the county, 

 if not all active in its cause, are all apparently well disposed to aid 

 in carrying out its numerous and diversified objects. That it should 

 in the long interval since its inauguration have lost many active 

 supporters is only what was inevitable : many a head and many a 

 hand that worked willingly with us twenty-one years ago is now 

 cold in death ; though many during that period have come worthily 

 to fill up the ranks thus broken, and to give promise of continuous 

 vitality to our archaeological and natural history pursuits ; and 

 several of us who are now engaged in celebrating its majority, took 

 an active part in the formation of the Society twenty-one years ago. 



o 2 



