4 



The Tenth General Meeting. 



was possible in both divisions of our county. And during all these 

 years our numbers have been steadily advancing ; while we some- 

 what more than fill in the gaps annually caused in our ranks by 

 death and other circumstances, till now we are in round numbers 

 approaching the goodly figure 400. 



" And then with regard to our objects and their accomplishment ; 

 your Committee has every cause for congratulation and encourage- 

 ment. Fresh objects of Antiquarian interest have from time to 

 time been brought to light in various parts of the county, mainly 

 through the instrumentality of the members of this Society. The 

 Natural History of the county is gradually becoming developed in 

 several of its more important branches : and in short, both the 

 Antiquities and the Natural History of Wiltshire have become 

 much better known by its means during the last ten years. 



a Then as to the publications of the Society. Seven volumes of 

 the Wiltshire Magazine have been completed, containing a con- 

 siderable number of papers on a great variety of subjects, but all 

 calculated to elucidate the history past and present of our county. 

 To its editor, Canon Jackson, the Society is again indebted for the 

 publication of that work which has so much redounded to its credit, 

 the Collections of Aubrey, greatly enlarged, which the Society was 

 last year privileged to publish : and to which your Committee very 

 confidently points, as of the greatest utility in supplying materials 

 whether for the history of the county generally, or of the several 

 parishes which compose it. 



" From this slight sketch of its career to the present time, may 

 be seen the gradual onward progress of the Society. It has not 

 only never gone back, but it has never, for an instant, stood still ; 

 and your Committee still looks forward with confident hopes to 

 seeing its operations extending into every corner of the county, 

 and its numbers yet farther considerably increased by the enrol- 

 ment of many new members. For though amply satisfied, and 

 more than satisfied, with its progress to the present time, we desire 

 to see it start again from this period with renewed vigour ; dis- j 

 covering what has been hidden ; clearing up what is obscure ; 

 penetrating into what is concealed ; diving into the mysteries of 



