464 



a drawing by Dr. Smith, and also a fac simile of the (enlarged) 

 figure given in Mr. Beauford's plate : 



Mr. Graves concluded by apologising for having occupied 

 the time of the Academy in the discussion of matters of so little 

 intrinsic importance ; but pleaded the necessity of breaking 

 down the remnant of authority whicli still gives to the asser- 

 tions of Vallancey and his adherents the power of leading 

 students in Irish history and antiquities astray. 



Practices like those now commented on once brought con- 

 tempt upon Irish archaeology ; and philologists for a long while 

 shrank from entering upon the rich field of inquiry which the 

 study of the Celtic language and literature presents, through 

 fear of sharing in the ill repute of former labourers. But these 

 feelings are now happily dying away ; and it is to be hoped 

 that the Academy, encouraging such pursuits, when carried on 

 in a scientific spirit, and vigilantly checking all attempts to 

 mislead, will have the satisfaction of seeing permanently estab- 

 lished amongst its members a sound and numerous school of 

 antiquaries and scholars, really conversant with the language 

 and antiquities of this country, and therefore able successfully 

 to prosecute that work of illustrating its history, which a few, 

 in recent times, have so well begun. 



