212 



sustain his high character as a descriptive botanist. As a member of 

 the University, I rejoice to be able to add that, of the distinguished 

 NaturaHsts just mentioned, four are now connected with her teaching; 

 and that a large portion of the plan contemplated by her late head, with 

 reference to the advancement of these branches of science within her 

 walls, has now been realized. 



" The contributions to the department of Polite Literature, which in 

 the early volumes of our Transactions occupied a large and conspicuous 

 place, have, T regret to say, been of late years less numerous. To what- 

 ever cause this may be ascribed, we are the more indebted to such men 

 as Dr. Wall, Dr. Hincks, and Dr. Kennedy Bailie, who have enriched 

 our volumes with the results of their learning and their research. But 

 it would not be difficult to name others, fellow-countrymen and fellow- 

 members, who are qualified to share with them the honour and the 

 toil. The latest communication that we have received in this department, 

 — the paper by Dr. Hincks upon Egyptian Hieroglyphics, the first part of 

 which was recently read, — promises to throw much light upon the deci- 

 phering of these ancient and mysterious records, and, if the author be 

 right in his theory, to add considerably to the discoveries of Young and 

 Champollion. 



" The study of Antiquities, on the other hand, — and especially of the 

 Antiquities of Ireland, — has never been, and, I hope, never will be, out 

 of fashion here. From the time of Molyneux, and of the Dublin Philoso- 

 phical Society, the earliest of the learned Societies in Ireland from which 

 we can trace our descent, the pursuit of Irish Antiquities has been a 

 favourite one. Of the researches of our living Antiquaries, the most 

 conspicuous, undoubtedly, is the important work of Mr. Petrie, on 

 the Ecclesiastical Architecture of Ireland, which has been referred to 

 in the recent Report of your Council, and which forms, as you know, the 

 last volume of your Transactions. Of the value of that work we should 

 judge inadequately, were we to confine our view to the light which it 

 has thrown upon the subject discussed ; it is, perhaps, still more 

 valuable as an example of the mode of dealing with Antiquarian 

 questions, and of the evidences which may be brought to bear in their 

 investigation. 



"The study of Irish Antiquities will, there can be no doubt, receive 



