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proposes to adopt. Though desirous to adhere as far as pos- 
sible to a chronological arrangement of the objects, Dr. Petrie 
intends to class them, in the first instance, according to the 
material of which they are formed. Without assuming that 
all stone implements belong to the earliest period, we may say 
that a primitive people will generally employ stone in the ma- 
nufacture of their weapons and tools. Accordingly, Dr. Petrie 
intends to commence with a fasciculus, comprising a Catalogue 
of the stone objects. From these he proposes to proceed, in 
order, to those formed of bronze, gold, iron, and silver; not 
that the material determines their respective dates, for abun- 
dant facts demonstrate the contrary, but because the prevail- 
ing use of a metal may be taken to indicate a certain phase of 
civilization. Thus there can be no doubt but that the period 
in which bronze articles were in general use preceded that in 
which iron was employed for like purposes; and yet instances 
similar to that brought under our notice this evening prove 
incontestibly that bronze and iron weapons were in use at the 
same time. So, again, it may be said of our silver antiques, 
that they belong to the times posterior to the introduction of 
Christianity into Ireland, and yet they are found occasionally 
in connexion with bronze and iron articles. To the first part 
of the Catalogue Dr. Petrie intends to prefix an introductory 
chapter, describing, so far as we have materials to illustrate it, 
the mode of life amongst the earliest inhabitants of the coun- 
try. He will then proceed to catalogue the stone objects, di- 
viding them into subordinate groups, consisting of weapons, 
implements, ornaments, &c., and arranging each group accord- 
ing to what he believes to be the age of the several specimens. 
Drawings of typical forms will be given; and the deviations 
of the rest will be noticed. He proposes, in all cases where we 
have the information, to mention the places where the several 
objects were found, and the names of the persons by whom _ 
they may have been presented to the Academy. To the Ca- 
