44 
addition to its buildings, originating in the gift of a magnificent 
saurian from Whitby by the late Mr. Koundell, the enlarge¬ 
ment of its ornamental grounds and the enclosure within them 
of the remains of the Abbey choir, the change of Presidentship 
occasioned by the death of the Earl of Carlisle—all these 
are fresh in the memory of the great body of our members. 
And here we may well pause. 
If we compare the commencement of the Society with its 
present condition, the retrospect is eminently satisfactory. 
Little could the three friends who agreed to combine their col¬ 
lections of the Kirkdale bones have anticipated the state of 
things which we witness. And this state furnishes the strongest 
ground of confidence in the permanent prosperity of our 
Society. If we have to reckon in future on less active support 
from the county than we enjoyed in earlier years, we may be 
certain that the inhabitants of York will never suffer an 
institution to languish or die, which affords them, close to their 
own doors, a place of quiet and delightful recreation, furnished 
with so many incentives to historical study, such materials for 
instruction in natural science. Bur should it not do more for 
them than this ? I cherish the hope that not only our own 
Museum, but similar collections throughout the country, will 
hereafter be employed as the instruments of regular and 
systematic instruction. The evident tendency of the age is to 
make the basis of education at once deeper and wider—not 
only to teach more, but to teach more thoroughly. The British 
Museum could not be applied to such teaching ; but provincial 
Museums may, and such a use I anticipate for them in no 
distant future. 
13 MM 
1 >; Q 
i DO iji 
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