333 
whole in a voluminous body of glossaries, the value of which to the 
philology of the Irish language cannot be overrated. For these 
glossaries contain not the words, in arbitrary spellings, with mean- 
ings given them according to the judgment or opinion or conjecture 
of any particular scholar, however eminent ;—but full authorities 
are given at length for every orthographical form, as well as for 
every signification in which the words are found. And as we know 
the dates with tolerable accuracy of all or almost all the documents 
quoted, it is evident that this method supplies also a history of the 
word; it shows us at what period its grammatical forms underwent 
modification; it shows us at what period its significations may 
have changed. 
Our late lamented associate, Mr. Hudson, to whose patriotism 
the Library of the Academy owes a valuable addition, deposited in 
my hands, before his death, the sum of £200 in Government secu- 
rities, as a contribution towards the publication of the Irish Dic- 
tionary. This sum, with the interest since accruing upon it, which 
I have added to the principal, is all that is available in the way of 
funds for carrying out this important national object. I cannot, 
however, doubt that such an object will ultimately receive support 
from the literary public of Ireland ; it is, I confess, my ambition to 
interest you especially in this project; I would fain induce you to 
encourage it with energy, and, imitating the example of the illus- 
trious Academy of France, to enrich the literature of Europe, and 
do honour to yourselves, by the publication of a work which will, 
I am persuaded, do even more for the Irish language than the Dic- 
tionary of the French Academy has done for the language of France, 
and which might justly then be put forward with the prestige of 
your name, as the Dictionary of the Academy of Ireland. 
III. In the knowledge of Archeology, including the kindred 
subject of Ancient Architecture, a progress has been made within the 
last half century, quite as great, although not so sensibly visible, 
or so easily perceived by the world at large, as the more brilliant 
discoveries of theoretical and practical science. 
This improvement has been mainly due to the adoption of right 
methods of study,—to the adoption, in a word, of the Baconian 
philosophy, and the application of that philosophy to this branch 
