241 



" These, also, have their points and edges perfect, and seem 

 •never to have been used ; they show not only that the work- 

 men who made them were perfect masters of the art of cast- 

 ing, but also that they possessed high mechanical perceptions. 

 If these weapons and the bronze swords (of which our Museum 

 contains several) be compared with those used in our army, it 

 will easily be seen that the former are constructed on princi- 

 ples far more scientific. Some of these may not be obvious 

 to the ordinary reader, as they depend on the properties of 

 bronze. This alloy, especially when in the proportion used 

 for weapons (in which it is an atomic compound, containing 

 fourteen equivalents of copper and one of tin, or nearly 

 eighty-eight and twelve by weight, and possesses a maximum 

 specific gravity considerably surpassing either of its elements), 

 combines great strength and toughness, but has not hardness 

 to take an effective and permanent edge. It has, however, 

 been shown by D'Arcet, that if its edge be hammered till it 

 begins to crack, and then ground, it acquires a hardness not 

 inferior to the common kinds of steel, and is equally fitted for 

 cutting instruments. Now, in fig. 14, the strong central cone 

 of bronze, remaining in its ordinary state, effectually stiff'ens 

 the weapon against fracture ; while the thin webs on each 

 «ide have evidently been subjected to this or some similar pro- 

 cess, for their edges are much harder, as well as brittle. In 

 the smaller weapon, fig. 17, the web might be too thin, and, 



men of Leinster; it was, therefore, not likely to be used in this locality, so 

 that the collection, probably, comprised all that were in demand. Among 

 these names, four are evidently of Hebrew affinity. The second is identical 

 with nViy (shlech), a missile spear ; the third comes from ;-|jo, fate ; the fourth, 

 or rather its abbreviate form, Cpuich, is from pro (chreth), to destroy ; the 

 sixth is little altered from «p {hain), a dart ; and the last, possibly, comes 

 from 31J, to divide. Mr. Curry remarks, also, that several of these names 

 are now given to agricultural instruments ; the loy and slaine are familiar 

 examples : lllanciip now means a mason's trowel. It should seem that metal- 

 lurgy was made the minister of war long before it became subservient to the 

 arts of peace. 



