Conversazione. 



145 



everything which had been taught us from the highest quarter. 



In reply to the toast of the General Secretaries of the Society, 

 which was proposed by Mr. Nelson Goddard, 



The Rev. A. C. Smith said when Mr. Goddard said the Secre- 

 taries of the Society, he was sure he meant to include the Council 

 of the Society, who carried on its work at Devizes, with the best 

 heart in the world, simply because they took an interest in it. 

 Seventeen years had elapsed since the Society was formed ; it was 

 14 years since it paid its last visit to Chippenham ; and during 

 those years, he thought he might say that they had done something 

 towards putting before the county its archaeology and natural 

 history. "Whether they had done that or not, they had certainly 

 helped to elucidate the topography of the county, because meeting 

 as they did three days in each j r ear, it would be astonishing if 

 they did not learn something of the several districts, the roads and 

 bye-roads of the localities which they visited. With regard to 

 the subject of Parochial Histories, Mr. Smith said that his excellent 

 friend, the late lamented Bishop of Salisbury, had appointed him 

 Secretary to the Parochial History scheme ; and that in that 

 capacity he now had in his possession between seventy and eighty 

 histories of different parishes in Wiltshire, some of them of 

 remarkable interest. 



The Honorary Secretaries to the Meeting (Mr. Pellowes and 

 Mr. F. Goldney) ; the Honorary Curator of the Museum (Mr. 

 John Noyes) ; and though last not least, the Lady Members and 

 Visitors were also duly honoured. 



CONVERSAZIONE. 



At half- past seven the company re-assembled at the New Schools, 

 which were kindly prepared by the Vicar for the purpose, and after 

 a plentiful supply of tea and coffee, generously provided by the 

 Committee, the President read extracts from an extremely able 

 paper, on the " Existing Structure of Lacock Abbey," illustrating 

 the several points of interest by ground plans and diagrams. The 

 paper was written by Mr. Charles Talbot, who was unfortunately 

 prevented by illness from being present ; but it was done 



