254 



with that of the Irish, but whose origin is so involved in ob- 

 scurity. This historical obscurity, which an interpretation 

 of this inscription might remove, has been thus alluded to by 

 Dr. Pritchard: " It may, perhaps, be impossible to settle the 

 long agitated Pictish controversy ; what those people were, 

 •whence they came, or why they were so called, were questions 

 which, though frequently discussed, have never yet been ac- 

 curately decided. Unfortunately, there are no remains of lite- 

 rature, not even a single sentence, and scarcely an ascertained 

 word, preserved as a specimen of the language of the Picts." 



Dr. Petrie, in conclusion, having expressed his hope that 

 this inscription might find a successful interpreter in Ireland, 

 proposed a vote of thanks to Mr. Chalmers, for his kindness 

 in presenting the cast to the Academy. 



The vote of thanks to Mr. Chalmers was passed. 



The Rev. Charles Graves exhibited a drawing on a large 

 scale of the inscription in the Ogham character which runs 

 along the side of the pillar-stone at Newton. In consequence 

 of its having been executed with less precision than is gene- 

 rally manifested in similar monuments found in Ireland, there 

 is considerable difficulty in deciphering it ; and, on this ac- 

 count, he was not yet prepared to submit his views respecting 

 it to the Academy. A correct reading of the Ogham in- 

 scription is of the more importance, as a knowledge of its 

 purport might help us to decipher that other inscription, on 

 the Jace of the stone, of which Mr. Chalmers has presented the 

 Academy with a cast, and which has hitherto defied all the 

 efforts of antiquaries to ascertain either the language or the 

 character in which it is written. Mr. Graves mentioned two 

 circumstances which concur to render it probable that this 

 latter inscription is in a character used by some of the Scan- 

 dinavian people. 



1. The posterity of Mac Duff, the murderer of Macbeth, 



