14 
REPORT OF 
points where liberality would not only be honorable to its 
character, but important to its success. The Society is 
not insolvent, but it labors under a weight of debt which 
is sufficient to depress its energy, and to stifle its exertions. 
Yet it does not follow that the Committee have risked too 
much. They doubtless thought they saw, in the existing 
subscriptions, a spirit of more importance than the actual 
amount ; they thought they saw, in the liberality of the 
Subscribers, a cordial approbation of the plan, and an 
order to execute it well. 
At this time last year, the current of the subscription was 
suddenly stopped by a disaster which, in an unprecedented 
degree, absorbed the attention, and called forth the vast 
munificence of the County. Then, when the means had been 
supplied of restoring the Minster to its former splendour, 
the wants of the Hospital came to be known; and those wants 
were by an universal impulse immediately relieved, to an 
extent which the .warmest friends of the charity could 
scarcely have hoped. This it is of which a Yorkshireman 
is justly proud, that whenever any public object is to be 
achieved, there is always in the great community to which 
he belongs both the will and the power to achieve it. Upon 
that will and power the Council are not aware that there is at 
present any rival claim. They beg leave, therefore, to submit 
to the Meeting the importance of immediately adopting some 
measure to revive the subscription, and by making the 
necessities of the Institution known, to obtain for it the 
assistance which it requires. The aid which has never yet 
