vi PREFACE. 



sitated a much briefer treatment of the subject in the 

 journals referred to than is here attempted, and to 

 these essays, now presented to the reader in a con- 

 solidated form, considerable additions have been 

 made. 



That the subject admits of still fiirther amplifica- 

 tion the author is well aware ; but " ars longa vita 

 brevis est," and the materials at present collected 

 have already assumed such dimensions, that it has 

 been deemed preferable to offer them to the reader 

 in their present form, rather than postpone pubHca- 

 tion indefinitely, in the hope of some day reahzing an 

 ideal state of perfection. 



Should the present volume pave the way for 

 future research on the part of others, the Author 

 will be amongst the first to welcome the result of 

 their labours. He has already to acknowledge his 

 indebtedness to Dr. J. A. Smith and Messrs. Edward 

 Alston, J. A. Harvie Brown, and J. P. Hoare, whose 

 taste in the same line of research has prompted 

 them to favour him with several interesting commu- 

 nications, which have been embodied in the following 

 pages ; while to Dr. Smith he is especially obhged 

 for the use of four woodcuts which were prepared 

 to illustrate papers of his own in the " Proceed- 

 ings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland." 



