Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 2.djvu/330

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
304
ANNUAL MEETING

the greatest poets, with which the Dean of Westminster had given utter- ance to their feelings. They did love Antiquity, and that and every other of the noble thoughts, they had just heard so eloquently expressed, must now live and abide with them. Perhaps he might be allowed to say that he was no unfit representative of the amateurs in Architecture; he was a student of it of considerable standing: when a schoolboy, he had imbibed it with his very grammar, and the little work of Rickman which he then happened to possess, was always in his pocket. It became the Grammar and Dictionary of a new language to him. To that time, now above twenty years ago, he had often looked back with pleasure, and many others present perhaps could ascribe their present knowledge to the same source. The study of Architecture was not a mere amusement, but a most profound and valuable mental culture. To those who have pursued this study, buildings presented a meaning and a purpose which, though others might feel, they could not understand. He would not detain them further, but by expressing again the extreme gratification he felt in seconding the vote of thanks to the Dean of Westminster, for the pious and dignified address in which he had explained the purposes for which they ought to be, and he had no doubt were, met together.

The President, in putting the vote, could not but express the pleasure he felt in seeing those who had done for Germany and Italy what Rickman had done for England, present to take, part in their proceedings. He alluded to Dr. Whewell and Professor Willis.

The vote was then put and carried.

Lord Ashburton proposed a vote of thanks to the noble President, in which he was sure he would be joined most cordially by the whole county of Hants. The noble Marquis had hastened, while on his travels abroad, at considerable personal inconvenience, to meet them, and to add the weight of his dignity, as President of the Royal Society, to the proceedings of the present Meeting.

The Rev. the Warden of New College, Oxford, said he felt it a great privilege and high honour, to be allowed to express his thanks and those of the Meeting to the noble Marquis, for the ability with which he had officiated as Chairman that day. As he had the honour to hold the office of Warden in the elder of William of Wykeham's Colleges, he might be allowed to express his great satisfaction in seeing so large a body of persons interesting themselves in the study for which that great man was so eminently distinguished. He felt it alike a pleasure and a duty to be present, and should listen with every attention to the remarks of the Archæologist on scenes so familiar to him, and although he could not contribute any information on that particular subject in which William of Wykeham so much excelled, he should look hereafter with more intelligent eyes on his buildings, and owe a large debt of gratitude to those whose researches should enable him to discover some new proof of the genius of their noble founder.

The Rev. the Master of University College, Oxford, after apologizing for intruding on the Meeting, said that having once held the office of