199 



Saturday, November 29th, 1851. 



THOMAS EOMNEY ROBINSON, D.D., President, 



in the Chair. 



The Secretary exhibited an ancient brass seal of Thomas, Bi- 

 shop of Elphin, obtained in England, through the kindness of 

 Albert Way, Esq., in exchange for the ivory seal of " St. 

 John's Hospital, outside the Barrier, Litchfield," found some 

 time since in the county of Wexford, and originally presented 

 to the Museum of the Academy by the Rev. Nicholas Codd, 

 of Carrick, County Wexford, who gave permission, at the 

 time of its presentation, to exchange it for an Irish seal, should 

 one be found in England. 



The following antiquities were presented to the Museum 

 of the Academy : 



Four Roman coins ; presented by J. B. Godfrey, M. D., 

 of London. 



Dr. Petrie observed, that hitherto sufficient attention had 

 not been paid to the ancient coins found in this country, simply 

 because they were not Irish. This was much to be regretted, 

 for such coins ought to possess the greatest interest for the 

 Irish antiquarian. Upon his own chimney-piece there was a 

 coin of the Byzantine empire, found at Rathfarnham ; how it 

 came there he could not explain ; but the fact was, that Roman 

 coins had been so constantly found in that locality, that when- 

 ever he saw any of them in a shop-window and inquired where 

 they were found, he was almost invariably told that they were 

 found in the neighbourhood of Rathfarnham. He wished that 

 when Roman or other ancient coins were found in this country 

 it would not be supposed that Irish antiquarians took no inte- 

 rest in them ; the very contrary was the case. 

 vol. v. q 



