212 
sustain his high character as a descriptive botanist. As a member of 
the University, I rejoice to be able to add that, of the distinguished 
Naturalists just mentioned, four are now connected with her teaching ; 
and that a large portion of the plan contemplated by her late head, with 
reference to the advancement of these branches of science within her 
walls, has now been realized. 
“The contributions to the department of Polite Literature, which in 
the early volumes of our Transactions occupied a large and conspicuous 
place, have, I regret to say, been of late years less numerous. ‘To what- 
ever cause this may be ascribed, we are the more indebted to such men 
as Dr. Wall, Dr. Hincks, and Dr. Kennedy Bailie, who have enriched 
our volumes with the results of their learning and their research. But 
it would not be difficult to name others, fellow-countrymen and fellow- 
members, who are qualified to share with them the honour and the 
toil. The latest communication that we have received in this department, 
—the paper by Dr. Hincks upon Egyptian Hieroglyphics, the first part of 
which was recently read,—promises to throw much light upon the deci- 
phering of these ancient and mysterious records, and, if the author be 
right in his theory, to add considerably to the discoveries of Young and 
Champollion. 
“ The study of Antiquities, on the other hand,—and especially of the 
Antiquities of Ireland,—has never been, and, I hope, never will be, out 
of fashion here. From the time of Molyneux, and of the Dublin Philoso- 
phical Society, the earliest of the learned Societies in Ireland from which 
we can trace our descent, the pursuit of Irish Antiquities has been a 
favourite one. Of the researches of our living Antiquaries, the most 
conspicuous, undoubtedly, is the important work of Mr. Petrie, on 
the Ecclesiastical Architecture of Ireland, which has been referred to 
in the recent Report of your Council, and which forms, as you know, the 
last volume of your Transactions. Of the value of that work we should 
judge inadequately, were we to confine our view to the light which it 
has thrown upon the subject discussed; it is, perhaps, still more 
valuable as an example of the mode of dealing with Antiquarian 
questions, and of the evidences which may be brought to bear in their 
investigation. 
“The study of Irish Antiquities will, there can be no doubt, receive 
