The Eighth General Meeting. 



237 



THE DINNER. 



At five o'clock between seventy and eighty ladies and gentlemen 

 assembled at the Grosvenor Arms Hotel, where a dinner had been 

 laid out with great taste by Mr. and Mrs. Burdon. The Marquis of 

 Westminster kindly sent a fat buck for the occasion. 



After Her Majesty's name, but omitting other usual toasts for 

 want of time, the Chairman proposed the health of Mr. Brine the 

 Mayor of Shaftesbury, with thanks to him, Mr. Batten, and other 

 gentlemen in the town for the exertions they had made to promote 

 the success of the meeting. 



The Mayor briefly acknowledged the compliment. The inhabitants 

 felt deeply the honour which had been paid them by the Archaeolo- 

 gists of Wiltshire, and he hoped that the next time they came, 

 Dorsetshire would be found to possess a kindred Society of its own. 



Mr. Batten had felt some diffidence in undertaking the office of 

 Curator, because, although his heart and soul were in the affair, he 

 feared that his efforts had not been crowned with that success which 

 would have attended the exertions of another. He might, perhaps, 

 say that he had been" a Curator all his life, and he was now getting on 

 in years. He had not only investigated ancient ruins at home, but 

 he had also done a similar thing in Carthage, in Corinth, in Egypt, in 

 India, and in other parts of the world, and an occupation of this 

 kind was therefore one of great delight to him. He had entered 

 most thoroughly into the researches which had been going forward 

 on the site of the old Abbey, and he trusted that they might be 

 allowed to continue them. It was a source of much pleasure to him to 

 find the Archaeologists of Wiltshire crossing the border, and coming 

 into Dorsetshire, where he trusted the}' had received a hearty 

 welcome. There were in the neighbourhood many things the history 

 of which required to be developed. He then pointed out the utility 

 of a Museum in bringing together objects of curiosity, and should 

 be glad to see a permanent one at Shaftesbury. 



In proposing the health of the Bishop and Clergy, the Chairman 

 was sure that at the meetings of this Society all felt deeply 

 indebted to them, because besides the sanction which their presence 



