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proposes to adopt. Though desirous to adhere as far as pos- 

 sible to a chronological arrangement of the objects, Dr. Petrie 

 intends to class them, in the first instance, according to the 

 material of which they are formed. Without assuming that 

 all stone implements belong to the earliest period, we may say 

 that a primitive people will generally employ stone in the ma- 

 nufacture of their weapons and tools. Accordingly, Dr. Petrie 

 intends to commence with a fasciculus, comprising a Catalogue 

 of the stone objects. From these he proposes to proceed, in 

 order, to those formed of bronze, gold, iron, and silver ; not 

 that the material determines their respective dates, for abun- 

 dant facts demonstrate the contrary, but because the prevail- 

 ing use of a metal may be taken to indicate a certain phase of 

 civilization. Thus there can be no doubt but that the period 

 in which bronze articles were in general use preceded that in 

 which iron was employed for like purposes ; and yet instances 

 similar to that brought under our notice this evening prove 

 incontestibly that bronze and iron weapons were in use at the 

 same time. So, again, it may be said of our silver antiques, 

 that they belong to the times posterior to the introduction of 

 Christianity into Ireland, and yet they are found occasionally 

 in connexion with bronze and iron articles. To the first part 

 of the Catalogue Dr. Petrie intends to prefix an introductory 

 chapter, describing, so far as we have materials to illustrate it, 

 the mode of life amongst the earliest inhabitants of the coun- 

 try. He will then proceed to catalogue the stone objects, di- 

 viding them into subordinate groups, consisting of weapons, 

 implements, ornaments, &c, and arranging each group accord- 

 ing to what he believes to be the age of the several specimens. 

 Drawings of typical forms will be given ; and the deviations 

 of the rest will be noticed. He proposes, in all cases where we 

 have the information, to mention the places where the several 

 objects were found, and the names of the persons by whom 

 they may have been presented to the Academy. To the Ca- 



