Thursday, August !2tM. 119 



audience was made very manifest. Before leaving the room, the 

 President expressed, on behalf of the Society, their gratitude to 

 the inhabitants of Swindon generally for the kind, courteous, and 

 hospitable way in which they had been received ; to the Secretaries 

 of the Meeting more especially (Mr. Kinneir, Mr. Shopland, and 

 Mr. Radway) , for all the trouble taken by those gentlemen on their 

 behalf, and which had resulted in a very successful Meeting ; and 

 last, but not least, to Major Dean, for the facilities he had granted 

 to such of the Members as were wise enough to avail themselves of 

 them, for seeing the celebrated Locomotive and Carriage Works of 

 the G. W. R. Company. 



THURSDAY, AUGUST 12th. 

 The excursionists were favoured with another fine day for their 

 expedition to Wootton Bassett and Purton. Again they mustered 

 at the Town Hall at 9, a.m., and soon after started for Wroughton, 

 where the very interesting Church required so much more time for 

 examination than had been anticipated, that the punctuality which 

 generally prevails in the Society's proceedings was on this occasion 

 sadly at fault throughout the remainder of the day. From 

 Wroughton a steep hill and a narrow road conducted to the vale 

 below, and then a pleasant drive brought the archaeologists to the 

 house of their President, who, with Mrs. Story Maskelyne and their 

 daughters, was ready at the hall steps to receive their numerous 

 visitors, and all of whom most kindly devoted themselves to pointing 

 out the valuable collections and the many choice specimens of art 

 with which this charming house is filled : for here were to be seen 

 and studied not only the admirable collection of gems, whose 

 reputation is so wide-spread ; but such china, such pictures, and 

 such other precious objects as are seldom seen collected in one 

 country house. Nor was the hospitality of the house behindhand, 

 for, though the hour of the visit was too early to admit of refresh- 

 ments of a substantial character, there was a loving cup in which 

 the President pledged his guests and they returned the compliment : 

 and then the Rev. A. C. Smith, in the name of the Society, 

 thanked Mr. and Mrs. Story Maskelyne and their daughters for the 

 pains they had taken to point out the treasures which the house 



