x PREFACE. 
Sacred history. ‘The Rev. J. Nem, M.A., “On Land 
Tenure in Ancient Times, as preserved by the present village- 
communities in Palestine.” The discussion on this paper was 
opened by the Right Hon. Lord Haussury, the Lorp Hicn 
CHANCELLOR, and taken part in by Mr. SAmusL BERGHEIM ; 
Dr. T. CHAPLIN; Mr. F. SEEBOHM; and many others. The 
Rev. A. H. Saycr, M.A., LL.D., Professor of Comparative 
Philology in the University of Oxford, “On the Cuniform 
Inscriptions of Tel el Amarna,” a paper in which the author 
specially presented to this Institute the results of his investi- 
gation of “one of the most extraordinary and unexpected 
archeeological discoveries of modern times”: to it are 
“appended the remarks of the Right Hon. Lord Hanspury, the 
President—Sir G. GABRIEL STOKES, LL.D., V.P.R.S.; Monsieur 
EpOuARD NAVILLE, D.Lit., Ph.D.; Sir H. Barkuy, K.C.B., 
G.C.M.G., F.R.S.; Admiral Sir ERAsmus OMMANNEY, R.N., C.B., 
F.R.S.; Admiral Sir F. LEopoitp McCuinTock, R.N., F.R.S. ; Sir 
J. RispoN BENNETT, M.D., F.R.S.; Staff-Commander ETTRICK 
W. CreAk, R.N., F.R.S.; The Rev. W. Wricut, D.D.; and 
others. The Rev. F. A. WALKER, D.D., F.L.S., a paper “On 
the Botany and Entomology of Iceland,” theadvances in Science 
of late years having rendered necessary a fresh treatment of 
the subject. 
b] 
As regards the paper “On the origin of Man”:—- 
Professor RupDoLPH VircHow lately presided over a remarkable 
convention of German, Austrian and other Anthropologists, 
at Vienna; at this gathering he, as president, impartially 
reviewed the results of the researches of European Anthropc- 
logists during the last twenty years, in regard to Man and 
his place in Nature; and considering the many ¢heories upon 
the subject that have been brought forward of late years, 
and the far-reaching and often startling arguments that have 
been founded thereon, it has been felt that an exact translation 
of the calm utterances of so impartial and careful an inves- 
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