234 Obituary Notices. 



a historical notice of the Club. He also edited, though not 

 directly in connection with the Club, the Poll Boole of Aberdeen- 

 shire for the Year 1696. 



Prominent among these contributions to archaeology were the 

 two handsome folios on the "Sculptured Stones of Scotland," 

 published in 1856 and 1867, through which, perhaps, Dr Stuart's 

 name has become more widely known than by any other of his 

 numerous publications. Copiously illustrated with plates, the 

 work maintains a high value in the sale-room, while among anti- 

 quaries it is regarded as one of their most important books of 

 reference. There is, we believe, no collection to equal it, 

 whether regard is had to the remarkable character of the monu- 

 ments dealt with, or the exhaustive way in which their history 

 and relations are discussed. It may be that the writer's conclu- 

 sions in respect to the interpretation of symbols will not in- 

 variably stand the test of criticism ; but none will be readier than 

 those who hold divergent views to acknowledge the industry dis- 

 played in the collection of materials, and the conscientious care 

 with which these have been digested and arranged. Whatever 

 difference of opinion there may be on other points, archaeologists 

 generally would seem to have accepted the opinion enunciated in 

 this work as to the non-Druidical character of certain remains 

 which people had been accustomed to associate with the ancient 

 religion of Britain. By reference to record and charter evidence, 

 and an examination of all that had been written about the 

 Druids, it was shown that there was nothing whatever to connect 

 them with the stone circles ; while it was submitted that on being 

 properly examined, the remains in question proved to be nothing 

 more or less than ancient burial places. Another of the Spalding 

 volumes which calls for special mention is the " Book of Deir," 

 published in 1 869. In this work Dr Stuart reproduced a manus- 

 cript copy of the Gospels, which belonged to the Abbey of Deir, 

 in Aberdeenshire, and which, besides the interest attaching to it 

 as a piece of seventh century penmanship, possesses great 

 historical and linguistic value in respect of certain jottings on the 

 margins and blank leaves, where the ancient clerics had made 

 note of gifts presented to their monastery, and embodied a 

 legendary account of its foundation by St. Columba and Drostan. 

 On the editing of these curious records there was brought to bear 

 a vast amount of learning and research, and the preface is one of 



