At the School-room the Institute prospered for a considerable time, and did much good; but afterwards, from one cause or another, it drooped, and well nigh sank. Deeming it, however, too good a thing to die, and thinking it possible that many influential parties might have withheld their sympathy and aid, from an idea (erroneous though it was) that the Institution, from its antecedents and place of meeting, was not entirely unsectarian and liberal, its friends made a successful effort in the year 1850 to resuscitate it. The clergy and dissenting ministers of the town, together with several influential lay gentlemen, formed a committee, obtained the use of the Guild-Hall for the meetings, and raised very extended subscriptions. Many excellent lectures, professional and amateur, were delivered, and new life seemed for a time to flow in the veins of the Institute. The Guild-Hall being found inconvenient for the Library and Reading-room, these were removed to rooms over the Shop of Mr. Richard Jones, Hatter, at the Cross. Subsequently, however, the falling-off of the subscriptions, and, it must be added, the backwardness of the young men generally to avail themselves of the privileges offered them, obliged the committee to relinquish these premises, and for more than a year past there seem to have been no meetings. It is said that “all that’s fair must fade.” May we hope that the Young Men’s Institute is only slumbering, and will not die, or, that dying, it will rise again to a stronger, happier, better life. Benevolent Institutions. DISPENSARY AND BATHS. The establishment of these two institutions is honourable to the founders, and, we are glad to observe, of great benefit to the poor and needy afflicted with disease. The origin of both is part of the annals of the town, and claims especial record in our volume. We find that in the year 1828 a meeting of the leading gentlemen of Oswestry was held, for the purpose of endeavouring to establish a Dispensary. That assembly was presided over by William Ormsby Gore, Esq., and the benevolent institution was at once founded under most liberal auspices. Donations amounting to one hundred and sixty guineas were subscribed at the meeting, and a Committee was appointed, to carry out the objects of the Charity. At the same time a liberal amount in annual subscriptions was determined upon, that the new institution should be rendered permanent. The following parties formed the first Committee, &c. _President_: WM. ORMSBY GORE, ESQ. _Committee of Management_: THE HON. THOS. KENYON, ROBT. MORRALL, ESQ., T. BULKELEY OWEN, ESQ., T. L. LONGUEVILLE, ESQ., J. V. LOVETT, ESQ., T. N. PARKER, ESQ., H. P. T. AUBREY, ESQ., REV. THOS. HUNT, REV. THOS. SALWEY, REV. C. A. A. LLOYD, REV. G. N. K. LLOYD, MR. LUCAS.