33 



from which may be formed, by inductive reasoning, important 

 conclusions, likely to remove the mysteries which hang over 

 the early history of Europe." 



The Rev. Dr. Todd remarked that, although Sir William 

 Betham had drawn no conclusion from the fact that the Etrus- 

 can coins he had exhibited were found in Ireland, yet it was 

 evident that he wished it to be regarded as a confirmation of 

 the views which had been put forward by him, in his Etruria 

 Celtica, of an early intercourse between the Etruscans and 

 this country. 



The coins were evidently Etruscan, and, as Sir William 

 Betham had shewn, were well known, and figured by all the 

 best writers on the subject. 



There was, therefore, no object in exhibiting them to the 

 Academy, except from the circumstance of their being alleged 

 to have been found in Ireland. Nevertheless, Sir William 

 Betham had given no sufficient proof of this fact ; he con- 

 tented himself with the mere belief or supposition of the gen- 

 tlemen from whom he had received the coins, who do not appear 

 themselves to be able to bear any personal testimony to the 

 fact. We should be very cautious, under these circumstances, 

 of lending even the tacit authority of the Academy to the 

 statement that Etruscan coins were found in Ireland; although 

 that fact, even if proved, is not of itself of any very great im- 

 portance : but in every case, great care should be taken in 

 drawing historical conclusions from the alleged discovery of 

 coins or other antiquities in this country. Unless the fact, 

 and all its circumstances, be well authenticated, it is much 

 safer to reject such conclusions, as, to say the least, uncertain 

 and precarious. The easy admission of insufficient evidence on 

 such a subject must obviously open a door to every kind of 

 delusion and imposture. 



In the present case, even if it had been proved that the 



VOL. IV. D 



