justified in giving their assent—the revival for a particular purpose of one of those Special Exhibitions which were many years ago so successfully inaugurated and carried out by the energy and cordial co-operation of the Members of the Institute, and which contributed so largely to the feeling which has made somewhat similar 'Exhibitions' a prominent feature of modern times—has been lately brought to a satisfactory termination by the publication in the pages of the 'Journal' of a 'Catalogue of a Loan Collection of Books printed before 1600.' The contributions of her Most Gracious Majesty and of many distinguished persons to that Loan Collection, and the publication of the able discourse given by the Principal Librarian and Secretary of the British Museum upon the subject as mainly illustrated by the examples of early and rare typography then brought together, are circumstances of so gratifying a character as seem to call for the special acknowledgment of the Council of the Institute.' And while the character of the literary contributions to the Journal have during the past year been such as fully to sustain its previously high character, the Council desire that the members generally should be acquainted with the fact that the large amount of illustrations that have often accompanied those contributions have been furnished by the liberality and friendly help of the Hon. Mr. Owen Stanley, of Mr. Fortnum, and Mr. Albert Way.
"In connection also with the subject of the advantages and utility of the 'Journal' of the Institute, the Council desire to draw attention to the progress of a scheme for a 'General Index' to the first twenty volumes, which has been most kindly undertaken by the energy and industry of various members. Several of those members have completed their portions of the self-allotted task, and so large has been the number who have promised to subscribe to the special expenses necessarily incidental to such a work, that its satisfactory progress is now ensured, and its completion will not be unnecessarily delayed.
"Co-operation with public bodies of a kindred character has always been one of the leading principles of your Institute, and during the past year several circumstances have occurred showing the propriety of such a course of proceeding and its pleasant and agreeable results. The rescue from utter ruin of the noble Chapter House of Westminster Abbey, which was mainly owing to the action of the Society of Antiquaries and of members of this Institute, was the occasion of a recent and gratifying demonstration within its walls, under the presidency of one of the distinguished Vice-Presidents of the Institute, the Very Rev. the Dean of Westminster. On that occasion one of your Hon. Secretaries had the opportunity afforded him of giving an account of the comparatively unknown muniments of that distinguished foundation, which it is hoped will shortly appear in the pages of the 'Journal' of the Institute.[1]
"The special excursion of members of the Institute and their friends from the metropolis to visit Guildford, only a few weeks since, is another agreeable circumstance, presenting a forecast of others of a similar kind, in which it may be hoped that the noble structures of St. Alban's, Waltham, and other places may be the subjects of similar interesting discourses.
The subject of the prosecution of investigations upon the site of the Temple of Diana at Ephesus was brought before the members of the
- ↑ Printed at p. 135 of this volume.
