The Tenth General Meeting. 



17 



with the exception of the missals and other valuable relics from the 

 Cathedral of Salisbury, which they could not of course expect to 

 have. They could not fail however to have been struck with the 

 beautiful portraits by Lawrence which had been kindly contributed 

 by Mr. Ewart — some of the best specimens of that great artist ; 

 the charming sketch which Mr. Norris had lent them; the two 

 drawings belonging to Mr. Smith, and the very beautiful little 

 picture lent by the Rev. Peter Peace — all of them splendid speci- 

 mens of one, who, as they knew, was the son of a former landlord 

 and landlady of the inn in which they were now assembled. 



Eaul Nelson then proposed the health of the Secretary to the 

 Local Committee (Mr. W. Hillier), and the company soon after- 

 wards repaired to the Town-Hall. 



At the conversazione at 7.30 p.m., the Noble President, having 

 taken the chair, called upon the Rev. A. C. Smith to read his 

 Paper on " Yestiges of the earliest inhabitants of Wiltshire." 



Mr. Smith first begged to call the attention of the meeting to- a 

 large map of a portion of the North Wiltshire Downs near Avebury, 

 comprising 100 square miles, which he had for some time been pre- 

 paring. He regretted that the Downs were being daily brought 

 more and more into cultivation ; the result of which was the des- 

 truction of the many earthworks which had abounded on those hills. 

 He had therefore thought it well some years since to record care- 

 fully on a map on a large scale the exact position of such barrows 

 and earthworks as still remain, before some of them were ploughed 

 , over and effaced. The map was not nearly completed, but it 

 showed the abundance of British earthworks which still remain. 

 From thus occupying himself with early British antiquities he had 

 | ventured to draw up a sketch of those ancient times and people. 



Mr. Smith then read his paper, which will appear in. the Maga- 

 zine, and of which therefore it is unnecessary to give an outline. 

 1 He dwelt especially on the value of every fact and of every frag- 

 ment which would throw light on those pre-historic times, and 

 : whilst advocating the greatest caution in admitting proofs, depre- 

 cated the scepticism which would refuse credence to anything con- 

 nected with those remote but deeply interesting ages. 

 vol. ix. — no. xxv. e 



