( c\T[i ) 



that regrets liave been expressed by some who still feel deeply the 

 value of the work — regrets for errors such as have been caused 

 by difficulties of which those who criticise are not aware, but which 

 must more or less belong to all human undertakings. Supposing 

 stich mistakes were very numerous, it will still be a great boon 

 to the philologist that at the cost of a few hours, with some 

 touches of his critical pen, he can put himself without pain or 

 drudgery in possession of a bond fide treasure. The difficulties 

 in transcribing an old manuscript require not only a keen and 

 practised eye, but a specially instructed mind to meet. "V^Tiere the 

 worn, half-obliterated page offers but a blurred or faint image to the 

 eye, the scribe is more in the position of an explorer than a copyist. 

 At the close of each volume, tables of reference to fractured, illegible, 

 and obscure places are appended. Recent investigation has shown 

 that the latter should be enlarged ; and the more the Scribes them-' 

 selves seek discussion on the degree of perfection in their own work,, 

 and the more fearlessly they bring such passages to light, the more 

 will they add to their character as scholars, showing that Truth is 

 more their ultimate aim than self-interest or fame. The philologists 

 must reap and thresh before they winnow, and we should rejoice 

 in that noble contention which means Progress. And while our 

 work with Celtic texts is but eKSoo-ets (giving forth), we must welcome 

 any sign that the day of Stop^tocrets is approaching. 



In addition to these fac-similes, we have also in the press for our 

 "Transactions" the text of the Felire of Aengus, with translation and 

 notes by an eminent Celtist ; and the Academy has also in hands 

 a corpus of the Ogham iascriptions reproduced by photography, from 

 casts taken from paper moulds of the stones by Dr. Ferguson. In all 

 these undertakings we may, I trust, feel indeed that our body is doing 

 a great work, and one worihy of its position as the foremost Archaeolo- 

 gical as well as scientific society of Ireland. 



Samuel Ferguson, LL.D., V. P., read a paper "On the alleged 

 literary forgery respecting Sun-worship on Mount Callan." 



Dr. Ferguson argued that the impeached stanzas from the poem 

 called " the Battle of Gabhra" were not fabricated, as alleged, by the 

 late Theophilus O'Flanagan, because, in translating them, O'Flanagan 

 diminished their con-oborative force by imperfect translation, and 

 because they contain matter difficult to reconcile with the case in aid 



