58 LIFE OF SIR JOHN LUBBOCK 



CH. XXVIII 



Some of the Bimetallists showed a disposition 

 to go rather far back in history to search for 

 precedents in support of their theories, and 

 claimed that bimetaUism in the modern sense 

 was in vogue in the ancient civihsations of Assyria 

 and Babylonia. Sir John believed that there was 

 no historical evidence of this, and consulted Mr. 

 Wallis Budge, the high authority at the British 

 Museum, on the question. Mr. Budge replied 

 that there was nothing, so far as he was aware, in 

 the wording of any of the Babylonian or Assyrian 

 tablets to imply that there was any right on part 

 of the debtor to substitute payment in silver, in 

 lieu of gold or vice versa. The metal in which 

 payment was to be made was specified in each 

 case. 



Sir John's final note for the year in the diary 

 is that he has his book on the Scenery of Switzer- 

 land complete in MS. 



