Page:The first report, etc., of the Lichfield Society.djvu/12

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REPORT.

examples of ancient precedent, they perceive them to have been almost literally adopted, a circumstance however, which they by no means attribute to their own judgment, but to the true and uniform principles of Christian Architecture, whereby they were no doubt enabled to coincide with other Architectural Societies whose opinions were also invited.

The Committee has also to report that it has given encouragement and support to a Work calculated to be of most important interest to this Society in particular, and to similar Societies in general.

The Work in question is the Church Architecture of the Diocese of Lichfield, and is intended to comprise every Church in the Diocese built previous to the Reformation. The Work will be published by Mr. Joseph Potter, a skilful Architect, by whom the Drawings will be made.—They will be strictly Architectural, comprising details of construction and ornament, when desirable.—The letter-press will be edited by a Committee of the Society to be appointed for that purpose.

The Committee deem it unnecessary to refer to some minor subjects which have attracted the attention of the Society; but it cannot conclude this Report without alluding in terms of respectful commisseration, to the condition of the President, who, by reason of a long and painful illness, has been withdrawn from his Diocese, and his valuable information and protection lost to the Society;—and whilst the Committee humbly beseech God, as a primary consideration, to restore him to health and his episcopal charge—it would secondarily hope that the energies of this Society may ere long be stimulated by his presence, and its proceedings marked by the information which he brings to bear upon the subject it embraces.