THE ANNUAL MEETING 
1 1 1 
in Stratford, and there was no necessity to choose Henley Street 
for spoliation in preference to less valuable sites, where a free 
library could be erected. She feared they had nothing to hope 
from Mr. Carnegie, as he had said in a letter to her that he had 
full faith in the local authorities — good man. The only local 
authority he knew, or whom he had met or conversed with, 
was Mr. Flower, the brewer. He said in a most vague way 
that the Shakspeare Society at the birthplace had thanked 
him for his gift. That just showed the muddle the poor man 
was in, as there was no Shakspeare Society at the birthplace. 
Mr. Flower, the brewer, dominated all the rest. Was it right, 
she asked, that such a possession should be governed by one 
or two local men, who were neither students nor lovers of Shaks- 
peare, but merely interested in trade. 
Lord Avebury said he had heard with much sympathy 
Miss Corelli’s speech. They had heard one side eloquently 
expressed, and perhaps they should not commit themselves. 
Many, however, would doubtless consider there was good cause 
for her appeal for time to be granted for an expression of public 
opinion, and he for one, would be very happy to sign the appeal. 
Before proceeding with the next business he said he would 
like to say how much the Society was indebted to Professor 
Boulger, the Editor of Nature Notes, who had done so much 
to promote the ideas which the Society was intended to advance. 
In moving a hearty vote of thanks to Lord Avebury for 
his address and for presiding, Mr. E. A. Martin referred to 
Lord Avebury’s multitudinous duties, and remarked that he 
had been doing good work in trying to get through Parliament 
his Bill dealing with the duties and hours of shop-assistants 
of this country. He thought all the Members of the Society 
were greatly indebted to Lord Avebury for sparing some of his 
valuable time and giving it to them. His lordship was a great 
writer of scientific books — books which were not only scientific, 
but popular. They appealed to those who were not purely 
scientific, and those who could read and understand popular 
science as they could not read and understand scientific books. 
The Members of that Society should appeal more and more 
to the children of the country, as the future of such a Society 
as theirs could only depend upon the children ; and they should 
teach them to have a proper appreciation of what was right 
and good. If the children were brought up properly they could 
be appealed to in the future when some of the present Members 
had passed away. 
Mr. J. L. Otter (the Treasurer), in seconding the resolution, 
pointed out that a large number of strangers were present and 
suggested that they should no longer remain strangers, but should 
join the Society. The process, he assured them, was very easy, 
and also very cheap. 
