THE FRIENDLY SOCIETIES OF DEVON AND CORNWALL. Jur 
ENGLISH LITERATURE. 
ABSTRACT OF PAPER BY MR. THOMAS CRAGOE, F.R.G.S. 
(Read December 20th, 1877.) 
Commencine at the early dawn of English literature with the end 
of the Saxon Chronicle, the lecturer in succession reviewed the 
great fourteenth century and its master-minds ; the Reformation 
period ; the glorious Elizabethan era with its scholar-heroes; the 
pedantic learning of James the First’s time, overswept by the 
Puritan wave, followed by the wild freedom of the Restoration ; 
the latter part of the seventeenth century distinguished for the 
origin of a new literature; the golden age of essays; Pope the 
ruling spirit of a cold and formal, though polished and classic, 
school; the Johnsonian period, and the galaxy of great men which 
graced the eighteenth century; the dazzling advent of Scott’s and 
Byron’s writings; and concluded with some remarks upon English 
critics, and a sketch of modern literature. 

THE FRIENDLY SOCIETIES OF DEVON AND 
CORNWALL. 
ABSTRACT OF PAPER BY SIR GEORGE YOUNG. 
(Read January 17th, 1878.) 
Tue early history of the modern Friendly Society in England has 
not been traced backward beyond the middle of the seventeenth 
century. It has been shown, however, that there must have 
existed, during that century at all events, a considerable number. 
The attention of local antiquaries may perhaps usefully be directed 
to the obtaining from early records notices of such societies prior 
to the year 1793. By the examination of such records an interest- 
