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LONDON:

T. RICHARDS, 37, GREAT QUEEN STREET.

THE JOURNAL

OF THE

British Archaeological Association.

MARCH 1862.

INAUGURAL ADDRESS DELIVERED AT THE
CONGRESS IN EXETER

BY SIR STAFFORD H. NORTHCOTE, BART., M.P., C.B., M.A.,
PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION.

I COULD have wished that this meeting had commenced, or rather that the meeting which has begun, could have been continued where it was commenced, at the Guildhall; which, for a purpose such as the present, would undoubtedly have been the most appropriate place for our reception by the mayor and corporation, and for the inauguration of proceedings of an archæological character. But this is one of those cases in which we have had to consider the habits of modern civilization, and to ascertain where the ladies who honour us with their presence could find the most comfortable reception. I am pleased to see that this room, which has so often been the stage of your festive gatherings, but which is now the scene of something which I will not call serious, but which, nevertheless, approaches to the nature of business, is so well filled by the ladies, who thus shew the interest which they take in our proceedings; because we know that nothing in this world prospers heartily and well unless the ladies are kind enough to take an interest in it. I must begin what I have to say by mentioning to those who had not the advantage of being present, that we, the members of the British Archæological Association, have already been received in the most hospitable manner, at the

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Guildhall, by the mayor of this city; that we were entertained in a manner which I am sure all would, for the credit of the city, have approved of; and that the Association has received at the hands of the corporation a very elegant and interesting present, a present of the book I now hold, being the Description of the Guildhall at Exeter, by two friends of ours, whose names I am glad to take this opportunity of commemorating; whose names I am sure you will all receive with interest, and whom we cannot but regret that we are now unable any longer to see amongst us,-I mean our two lately departed friends, the rev. Dr. Oliver and Mr. Pitman Jones. They are names that I am sure are so well known, not only to every Devonian and Exonian, but to every archæologist, that I need not make any apology for introducing them at this moment, and for saying that if there is anything which mars the pleasure we have in receiving the Association on the present occasion, it is the thought that men who had so peculiar a claim to have stood forward as the representatives of the archæologists of Devonshire, are no longer amongst us.

And now, ladies and gentlemen, I find on looking back at the records of the proceedings of this Association on former occasions, that it has been the habit of those who have held the office which now I have the honour to fill, to commence the business by addressing to the Association something in the nature of an inaugural address, in which they have pointed out the particular objects of interest which the district visited contains, and in which they have brought to the notice of the visitors a great many matters of interest and importance. I wish very much it were in my power to follow the example of my predecessors in this respect. I wish very much I could emulate some of the very learned and able addresses which I have read, delivered by them on occasions such as the present. But I feel that it is really beyond my power; and I do not wish to essay anything in which I know that I should fail. If I were to attempt to address the eminent body whom I unworthily represent, upon the subject of their peculiar study, I should run the risk of being as ridiculous as the sophist who gave a lecture on the art of war to the celebrated general Hannibal. As I do not wish to expose myself by attempting that which I am incompetent to perform, I shall endeavour in my few

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