Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 11.djvu/465

THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE. 101 might be viewed most advantageously. Mr. Sliarpe had kindly provided a very useful guide to his description, showing the chronological classification of the principal works, and they were visited as nearly as possible in the order of the date of construction, proving in a striking manner that this noble fabric illustrates the history of church architecture in England from the Conquest to the Reformation. The progress of the works of renovation, which have been carried out under the vigilant and tasteful direction of the Dean, were examined with much interest, and at the close of the afternoon service the visitors returned to Cambridge. In the evening the Museum of the Institute in Trinity College was lighted up, and the invitation to examine the valuable ol)jects there dis- played was gladly accepted by tiie chief members of the corporation, their families and friends, with numerous other residents in Cambridge by whom attentions had been shown to the Institute. Tdesday, July 11th. The customary General Meeting of members of the Institute took place in the Law t^chool at ten o'clock. Lord Talbot de Malahide presiding. The Report of the Auditors for the previous year (see page 192, in this volume), was submitted to the General Meeting, as was also the following Annual Report of the Central Committee. Both these Reports were unanimously adopted. In submitting to the Society, according to custom, the annual review of the progress of the Institute, as also of the results of investigations and efforts for the extension of Archaeological knowledge, the Central Committee viewed with renewed pleasure the retrospect of the previous year. The influence of the Institute in promoting a taste for the study of Archaeology, and the higher appreciation of all vestiges of antiquity and art, had been increasingly evinced. The friendly correspondence with antiquaries in all parts of the country, and with many of the provincial Archaeological Societies, had constantly brought before the meetings of the Institute an ample provision of remarkable facts, and speedy intelligence of the dis- coveries which had occurred ; whilst, moreover, many new members had joined the ranks of the society, such communications had also in several cases been received from persons not enrolled on its lists. The continued demand for the publications of the Institute, and expecially for the Journal, claimed notice, as evincing that tlitir varied and instructive character had proved acceptable to the public at large. During the past year, the attention of the Society had been directed, at their monthly meetings in London, to certain questions of importance connected with the conservation of public monuments, and the Committee felt assured that the strong feeling shown by the members of the Institute on those occasions had not been without beneficial effect. The proposed destruction of a large number of the parish churches in the City of London, and the desecration of the burial-places connected with them, no provision being made for preserving the sepulchral memorials which, in many cases, are of considerable historical interest, bad justly called forth a strong ex- pression of regret and of the anxiety of the Society to avert such reckless devastation. The proceedings on that occasion have been recorded in the Journal, with the memorial which had been addressed to Her Majesty's