2 



Report of the Society for the Year 1895-6. 



" The cost of additions made to the Library and Museum of the 

 Society is again considerable, but the Committee consider it desirable 

 to continue their efforts to make the Library as complete a collection 

 of books relating to Wiltshire or written by "Wiltshire authors as 

 means will allow. Amongst the items purchased during the past 

 year are a considerable number of drawings and prints, which will 

 acid much to the value and completeness of the Society's collections. 

 In this matter the Committee confidently appeal to the whole county, 

 for whereas in respect of local antiquities the excellent Salisbury 

 and South Wilts Museum naturally competes for their possession 

 with the Society's Museum at Devizes, in the formation of a library 

 on the other hand, which shall by degrees become a place of 

 reference for all Wiltshire books, pamphlets, drawings, and prints, 

 our Society comes into competition with no other institution, and 

 therefore looks to the south of the county equally with the north for 

 help in the way of gifts of old or new books, original drawings, prints, 

 or portraits, in any way whatever connected with Wiltshire. A 

 catalogue of the collection of prints and drawings, now in the 

 Society's possession, is practically finished, and will be printed as 

 soon as possible. 



" The catalogue of the Stourhead Collection has proved a more 

 considerable task than was anticipated. It has been thought 

 desirable to illustrate it as fully as possible, and this has taken a 

 good deal of time and attention. It will, it is hoped, prove to be 

 one of the most important publications of the Society. The col- 

 lection is recognised far beyond the limits of the county to be one 

 of very great interest. Numbers 84 and 85 of the Magazine have 

 been issued during the year. 



" In these days of amateur photography, the Committee would 

 call special attention to the report on Photographic Surveys bound 

 up with No. 84. It contains many useful suggestions. 



" Unfortunately no member of the Committee was able to attend 

 the annual Congress of Archaeological Societies at Burlington House, 

 in 1895. 



" Among architectural works which have been undertaken in the 

 county during the year the great enterprise of securing the safety 



