liii 



I exhibit to-night, and have arranged temporarily, to illustrate this 



view, who can regard these without intense interest, a desire to 



look deeper into the history of the locality, and an effort to compare 

 the matters found in each with others of the same class, in other 

 and perhaps very remote districts ? 



Take, for instance, a stone hatchet, or a flint arrow-head, — the 

 natural and first questions are, where found? of what kind of stone 

 made ? Is there any of the same description in the neighbourhood ? 

 if not, how near ? And thus the inquiry goes on, until light is 

 thrown, by comparison or investigation, on the history of the loca- 

 lity, which it is probable it would never receive from the more 

 general and so called scientific arrangement proposed. 



I propose to you the collection of data, the placing and record- 

 ing of articles of antiquity, and the facts affecting them, with a 

 stringent adherence to truth, precisely as the articles have been 

 found, and the facts occurred. I submit that it is peculiarly the 

 province of a great and learned body like the Academy to adopt 

 this course, leaving it to individuals, on their personal responsibi- 

 lity, to found on the facts recorded, and, if they please, to publish 

 to the world, any theories or assumptions they think fit ; leaving it 

 to the discovery and future publication of ancient manuscripts that 

 may yet be found to alter views at present entertained, or to throw 

 light on what may at present appear obscure, and leaving to pos- 

 terity, unshackled by the authoritative decision of this Academy, 

 the free powers to test by your faithful arrangement and true re- 

 cords the numerous theories that may yet be raised as to the extra- 

 ordinary and somewhat anomalous ancient history of this country. 



Articles collected by Richard A. Gray, Esq., District Engineer. 



From the River Boyne. 

 4. Iron sword. From the townland of Moyfin, barony of Moyfenrath, 



county of Meath. 

 6. Giesarm ; and 12, Short iron sword : found together. 5. Iron bat- 

 tle-axe. Found on the gravel, under six feet of alluvium, near the old 

 Castle of Donore. From the barony of Moyfenrath, county of Meath. 

 19. Iron sword. Found on surface of bed of river, below Alder island. 

 From the townland of Moyfeagher, barony of Lune, county of Meath. 



