Transactioiifi. 1 33 



us the style and quality of a very peculiar phase of early 

 Christian art. In its associated inscriptions in the Latin 

 language and character, it preserves to us the key which gives 

 the explanations of other sculptured groups that have no asso- 

 ciated inscriptions. In them also it preserves to us tlie very 

 words of the texts of Scripture, of the passages from the Apocry- 

 phal gospels, and the legendary lives of the saints that were thus 

 chosen for sculptured representation. Above all, in its Runic 

 inscription it has preserved a fragment of one of the earliest 

 known specimens of old English literature — a poem undoubtedly 

 of very unusual merit. No literary monument graven on stone 

 of such a character, or of greater importance in the history of 

 literature, exists anywhere else. It is a monument of culture in 

 the highest sense of the term. It is a monument unique of its 

 kind, bearing witness to the existence of an artistic culture^ 

 which for its age was high, and of a literary culture whicli but 

 few of the succeeding ages have greatly surpassed. It is, there- 

 fore, a monument of which the nation of whose history it forms a 

 conspicuous part might well be proud." 



^th JanvAxry, 1886. 



Mr J. G. H. Starke, Vice-President, in tlie Chair. Tliirty-four 

 members present. 



Nevj Members. — Dr Aitken, Inverness, and Miss Barbour, 

 Belmont, Dumfries. 



Dr Gilchrist's Death. — The Chairman intimated that since tiie 

 Society had last met, their esteemed President, Dr Gilchrist, had 

 been removed by death, and for this reason the special meeting 

 was not held on the 18th December. He called upon Dr Grierson 

 to move a resolution. Dr Grierson — as one who liad known the 

 late President for many years — in feeling terras moved "That this 

 Society record in its minutes the great loss which it has sustained 

 on the removal by death of Dr Gilchrist, and that it tenders 

 to Mrs Gilchrist its deepest sympathy in her sore bereavement." 

 This was seconded by the Chairman, who testified to the kindly 

 manner and unvarying courtesy with which their late President 

 was ever ready to assist the members, and to further the objects 

 of the Society. 



The Society's New Rooms. — The Secretary submitted a report 



