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Inaugural Meeting our best and most cordial
thanks to our excellent Secretary, Mr. Larking. I am sure that all who have
the pleasure of knowing him will bear witness with me to the
indefatigable efforts which he has made in the formation of our
Archaeological Society for Kent. To the science of Archaeology
Mr. Larking has devoted himself, not only in this matter, but
it has engaged his attention and talent all his life; and I am
sure that you will join with me in congratulating ourselves
upon having such an able Secretary, and that you will record
amongst your votes this day your most cordial thanks to Mr. Larking. I propose therefore, as a last Resolution,—
"That the thanks of this Meeting are due, and
are hereby tendered
to the Rev. Lambert B. Larking, for his invaluable services in the
formation of this Society."
[Carried unanimously.]
The Rev, L. B. LARKING, in returning thanks, said—
My Lord, Ladies, and Gentlemen,—If I could have anticipated
your Lordship's kind proposal, or the way in which you,
Ladies and Gentlemen, have received it, I should have come
prepared to acknowledge it in better terms than I now can
attempt. It has come upon me most unexpectedly, and I can
only now assure you that I thank you from my heart. If I
have worked hard, I am amply repaid; for I believe there
never has been a similar Society which, in so short a time
from its commencement, has enrolled so large a number of
Members, or which could among them, in that brief space,
enumerate such distinguished names as we can: yet we must
not forget that mere numbers do not constitute a Society,—there must be work,—honest, hearty, zealous work. Looking,
however, at the list of our associates, many of them highly
eminent for their literary labours, I cannot but hope and believe
that the fruits which we produce will be abundant and
satisfactory. Our younger Members I would specially exhort
to ardour and diligence in studying our science; and I
would
ask them to give us the fruits of that diligence in contributions
to our volume, the more numerous the better. If they are diffident
from inexperience, I would remind them of a most excellent
and interesting publication, which every Member of our
Society ought to take in, 'Notes and Queries' a weekly
periodical,
which will admit short contributions. Try your powers
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