39 
onlookers—myself among the rest—as to their character and 
use. In the mean time the Society of Antiquaries, apprised of 
the discoveries made, were desirous of possessing materials for 
a volume of their own Fragmenia Vetusta, and the Council 
supplied the drawings and measurements, which had been pre¬ 
pared, Mr. Wellbeloved furnishing an historical and descriptive 
memoir, which the Society of Antiquaries published in 1829. 
From the plan which this work includes, we may learn where 
every part of the ancient abbey stood; and how much that is 
curious lies hidden beneath the building in which we are 
assembled, and the lawns and walks and flower-beds of our 
garden. The original grant comprehended three acres, and the 
Observatory marks its limit towards the river. The foundation- 
stone was laid October 24, 182T, by his Grace the Archbishop. 
On the 2nd of February, 1830, the annual meeting was held 
for the flrst time in the Theatre. The entire expense had 
reached £9,800, the subscriptions being only £8,300, and an 
energetic appeal was made in the Report for further contribu¬ 
tions, in wdiich the vigorous hand of the President may be 
clearlv discerned. ‘‘ This debt of £1,500,” say the Council, 
wdll undoubtedly prove a heavy incumbrance, if means cannot 
be devised for paying it off*. In the present state of our annual 
income, we may indeed defray the interest of such a debt, and 
still go on. But let the meeting consider in what manner w^e 
shall go on, as respects the character and utility of the Institu¬ 
tion. We may go on—giving a salary of sixty pounds a year to 
the Keeper of the Museum : and would any member of the 
Society wish to retain his services on such inadequate terms ? 
We mav so on—but with an unflnished Laboratory, and a 
Library to which the naturalist or the antiquary would refer in 
vain. We may go on—but we must leave to others to explore, 
even in our own county, the mysteries of nature, and to collect 
the monuments of art. The Society, in short, is not insolvent, 
but it is deeg^ly embarrassed, and labours under a weight of debt 
which is suflicient to depress its energy and to stifle its 
exertions.” In 1828 it had been agreed that the annual sub¬ 
scription should be raised from £1 to £2, and the composition 
from £10 to £20. But more than this was needed. An appeal 
