18 PAPERS, ETC. 
depends, in no inconsiderable degree, our ability of pur- 
suing with success any other branch of archsological 
science. A pilgrimage to some picturesque ruin is of 
itself delightful: but the gratification is increased a 
hundred-fold when we are in possession of its previous 
history, the affecting mutations which it has witnessed, 
the strange sights on which the old walls have looked 
down, and the wondrous words which they have heard. 
Who, for instance, can look at an Abbey intelligently, and 
as ruins of holy places ought to be looked at, unless he 
know something of its pious founder, its saintly benefac- 
tors, and the part which it has played in our country’s 
annals. For this species of information we must go to 
those sources to which I have alluded—our manuscript 
collections of record lore.. Or we must be miserably con- 
tent, as are only too many readers, and alas ! writers also, of 
archzological productions, to write or to read what has 
been written and published over and over again, to take 
our information at second, third, or tenth hand, and 
oftentimes to lose the truth, bewildered in the laby- 
rinth which copyists and retailers are unhappily certain to 
create. 
And yet, perhaps, apology is due from me for confining 
myself so closely, as I shall be found to do, to a depart- 
ment confessed to be to general students so repulsive and 
uninteresting. My excuse must be found in the fact that 
such a proceeding is obligatory on me. A few weeks ago 
my reverend friend, Mr. Warre, kindly invited me to 
furnish a paper for the present meeting, a proposal which, 
after the honour done to me by the Society last year, I 
could not bring myself to decline. I therefore mentioned 
Cleeve Abbey as a subject for my address to you, but was 
sorry to find that it was already in other hands. It was 
