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and value of the Oicoe ap 501c, or silver brooch, should be in 

 proportion to the rank of the wearer. 



" And lastly, I would fain refer to the preservation of this 

 valuable memorial of the ancient art of Ireland as an impor- 

 tant result of the efforts made by the Academy to illustrate 

 the past history of our country, and place it upon a solid basis. 

 I shall not easily forget that when, in reference to the exis- 

 tence of a similar remain of ancient Irish art, I had first the 

 honour to address myself to a meeting of this high Institution, 

 I had to encounter the incredulous astonishment of the illustri- 

 ous Dr. Brinkley, which was implied in the following remark : 

 — " Surely, Sir, you do not mean to tell us that there exists the 

 slightest evidence to prove that the Irish had any acquaintance 

 with the arts of civilized life anterior to the arrival in Ireland 

 of the English.' Nor shall I forget that in the scepticism which 

 this remark implied nearly all the members present very ob- 

 viously participated. Those, at least, who have seen our mu- 

 seum, will not make such a remark now. 



"I need scarcely say that I very deeply regret that this 

 beautiful remain of art is not as yet placed in our museum, its 

 proper resting-place. Such a memorial should never be ab- 

 stracted from the country which produced it, and I do trust 

 that to our museum it will find its way. As I have beeninformed 

 by Mr. Waterhouse, a prince merchant, who is a member of 

 our Academy, very shortly after the brooch had come into 

 Mr. Waterhouse' s possession, offered for it a sum vastly more 

 than that which the Academy has latterly appropriated annu- 

 ally to the increase of its museum, in order to place it in this 

 national depository ; and such noble and generous spirit was 

 only such at least as I could not be surprised at on the part of 

 Mr. Charles Haliday. And I have been also told that ano- 

 ther distinguished member of our body, the future chief of our 

 nobility, has, in a spirit worthy of his station, endeavoured to 

 purchase it at any reasonable cost, with the same object in view. 

 With such examples before him of generous and patriotic zeal 



