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presented by the Rev. James Spencer Knox ; the valuable collection of an- 
cient Swords, and other antiquities, found in the works of the Dublin and 
Cashel Railway, near Kilmainham, presented by Colonel J. E. Napier 
and the directors of that railway; and the donation of ancient weapons, 
by the Shannon Commissioners, which are also of very great interest 
and value. The importance of this class of donations, possessing # 
peculiar value from their authenticity, can scarcely be too highly estima- 
ted; and the Council therefore thought it right to address a circular to 
the Directors of the railways new in progress in Ireland, calling their 
attention to this subject, and requesting their co-operation with the 
Academy in the attempt that has been made to establish here a 
public museum of Irish Antiquities. 
The increase of our collection of MSS. has made it necessary to 
provide for their security; the Council have therefore made rules pre- 
scribing the conditions upon which access to the MSS. is to be hence- 
forth permitted, with a view to the exclusion of such persons as would 
be likely to injure them, or to make an improper or dishonest use of 
their contents. Under this head should be noticed the recovery of two 
of the missing leaves of the Leabhar Breac, which were presented to 
the Academy by Messrs. Hodges and Smith, having been purchased by 
them, along with some other volumes in MS. which they have also 
presented to our library.* 
During the past year friendly communications have been opened 
with the Literary and Scientific Society of Toronto, the Irish Society of 
London, the Archeological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, and 
the Belfast Library and Society for promoting knowledge. 
The Council have now to notice, with regret, the retirement from 
the office of President, of the distinguished gentleman who has for the 
last eight years presided over the Academy, Sir William Hamilton’s 
determination to resign a place whose duties he has so long discharged 
with honour to himself and to the Academy, is already well known to 
every member; it was communicated to the Council by a letter received 
by them on the 17th of November, which contained also a suggestion 
that the voluntary resignation of the President afforded a favourable 
opportunity for considering, without the infringement of delicacy 
* See their letter in the Proceedings, vol. iii. p. 73. 
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