The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1865-08-08 00:00:00

pherittilly—by balton. Enough, however,
Link) the day is the evil thereof—and that is
the cattle pest. Developed as it is only in
and around London, we perhaps: hear more of
it than we otherwise eotild, add that May be
fortunate in so far it least as any precautions
For staying the pestilence are concerned. In
the present dearth of butcher meat this
calamity is certainly one of the worst that
could have befallen the community; and all
sorts of expedients are suggested for meeting
the emergency, including proposals for a
month's total abstinence from animal food.
IV. This DAY will the Archeological Institute
conclude its week's sittings in Dorchester. Let
us hope that they may at least prove memorable
as having served to bring the antiquaries into
"fresh fields and pastures new." British earth-
works, Roman remains, and even ecclesiastical
fabrics of a more remarkable character are scarcely
to be met with in any other portion of this island.
Itis only to be regretted that more of our local anti-
quaries did not come forward to develop these in
detail. But a week is found to be a wonderfully
, contracted space when devoted to a commixture
of business with pleasure. Consequently we
poor provincials dare only put forward our re-
presentative men in the preeence of the fanious
moans of the Inatitute. Indeed, the Rev. C. W.
Bingham, who did io much in his introductory
survey Of borset archieology, to redeem the
character and sustain the erudition of our dis-
trict, is one of themselves. The Rev. William
Barnes, it is true, is thoroughly identified with
Dorset, and the amount of duty devolving on
' him was proportionably severe. No one can
I doubt the oonsciontiotumess with which our
"Dorset Burns" went through his part, whether
as archosologist,philologiat, bard, or cicerone ; our
I only hope It that too much may not have been
exacted free the. amiable Rector of Came,
for we feel sure that the deepest impression
carried away from Dorchester on this
occasion will be interwoven with recollec-
tions of Mr. Barnes and the Durotriges.
We have to thank also the Rev. J. H. Austen
and Mr. Bond for representing Dorset so well ;
the one in regard to the Roman occupation, the
other in reference to the interesting antiquities
of that great feudal landmark of the Isle of
Purbeck—Corfe Castle, Mr. J. T. Irvine, of
Mr. (1 G. Scott's office, who has traversed
Dorset night and day till he is BO familiar with
its antiquities that we believe he could go over
them blindfolded, helped, it is trite, to oorreat
'or rather add to Mr. Auaten's information re-
lating to the Roman road to Salisbury; but the
will only serve to extend the field of the rev.
gentleman's researches, when, we have no doubt,
he will find a road through the vale country
somewhat farther to the west going on from
cheater to cheater, from the sea near Bridport
to Salisbury itself. And speaking of Salisbury
it must be said that our Right Rev. Diocesan
did his part towards this portion of his diocese
by coming forward at the opening meeting,
proceeding on some of the excursions, and
preaching twice on Sunday for the Infant Schools
of Holy Trinity pariah, the Rev. James
Fisher, in whose school:remit the tent-
porary mintetita=onti of the chief sources
of inteteit and attraction during the meeting
fitted np. The Eooleeiological department
was admirably taken up bY the Rev, Professor
Willis and Mr. Freemart=we Mean that bf the
lodal tffiureli fabrics, particularly Sherborne and
Wimborne Minsters—to which, however remote
from Dorchester we must add Glastonbury (for
few that heard it will ever forget the exposition
made of that ruined fane, from the days of its
wicker and wattles, to the insertion underneath
of the crypt that literally brought it to grief.)
Mr. Parker, too, who supplements the whole
meeting by an invitation to Wells Cathedral,
furnished one of the Most extraordinary example.
of archeological research ever listened to in his
account of the different churches in. Rothe. With
auch men ita thee) amongst: ua, presided over
by Lords, Camden, And Neaves, Sir J. P.
Boileau, Mr. I3eresford Hope, M. P., and other
distinguished archieologists, it is perhaps, no
wonder that our local antiquaries should have
hid their diminished heads. Yet we feel certain
that matter alike of interest and importance,
might have been elicited alike from Dr. Thurman
and Profelsor Beckman had these gentleman
been brought forward. In point of general
interest perhaps any void was amply filled up by
the appearance on the platform of the Rev. J. G.
Joyce, on the part of His Grace the Duke of
Wellington, with those wonderful discoveries of
his at Silchester (Strathfieldzaye), although we
regret to say that from some mishaps in the
arrangements, the rev. gentleman, in the two
fragmentary iihances afforded him, had bill resat
opportunity for explaining the deeply interesting
—absolutely exciting--disoloeures of what may be
I regarded as a second Driconium, being a Roman
town of thirty eight acres in process of being
opened at Strathfieldsaye, the estate presented
by the nation to the late Duke of Wellington.
We cannot but regret that under any eircum-
stances, this, which must be deemed the most
striking feature of the meeting ihotild have
suffered cartailutent We knot+, however, that
thb ladies at all events will exclaim, "hold there
—lice excursions were delightful." And so they
were. Mr. Wingfield Digby, Mr. Weld, Sir
Ivor Gueit, and lett not least the Baron
llambrq did their best to sustain the renown of I
Dorset hospitality. In short we have no reason
to think that the antiquarians will carry away
other than favourable reminiscences of us and
ours. At the same time their presence, and
dignified bearing whilst amongst ÜB, may have
imparted Some wholesome lessons towards correc-
tion of the overweening importance which
country magnates, with the great world in the
distance, are only too apt to assume.