128 Northern Antiquities. [No. 2. 



Lest it might be imagined from the minuteness with which the most 

 elaborate details are given, and the extreme beauty of the lithographs 

 altogether, that they have been in any way embellished, I forward for 

 the inspection of the Society a drawing book of my own, in which 

 rough, half-finished sketches, having no pretension to artistship what- 

 ever, will be found of a large portion of the stones represented in the 

 work of Mr. Chalmers ; and it will be seen that the two coincide as 

 closely as it is possible for first-rate lithographs to do with indifferent 

 China ink or pencil sketches. My drawings were mostly made betwixt 

 1820 and 1835, more than twenty years before Mr. Chalmers' were 

 dreamt of ; and at the time referred to, there were a number of the 

 Sculptures entire, — the most important being the Eassie Sphinx, to be 

 referred to by and bye — which seem since to have become obliterated ; 

 and I have given a number from Fife, Perth, and Aberdeenshire, that 

 will assist in illustrating what is about to be stated. In an article in 

 a recent number of " Blackwood's Magazine" on these matters, the 

 difficulty of obtaining correct drawings, and the diversity of appearances 

 presented by the Sculpture according to the light in which it is viewed, 

 is so enlarged upon, that the impression left on the reader is that 

 much must be ascribed to the imagination. That it is not so, will be 

 seen from a comparison of the lithographs with my drawings rude as 

 they are. Every man accustomed to decipher moss-grown, or time or 

 weather worn sculptures, whether in India or in England, has encoun- 

 tered the difficulties enumerated by Blackwood, which may always be 

 surmounted by care and patience, so as to leave no doubt on the mind 

 as to perfect fidelity of result. 



For shortness sake I shall in the following observations make use of 

 the name of " Runic Stones," generally applied to this class of monu- 

 ments, stating at the same time that I feel satisfied that it is a misnomer, 

 and that they have no connection whatever with the Danes, or any 

 other modern European nation. 



Runic Stones are unknown in the Continent of Europe, and are not 

 to be found in any part of England or of Wales, or in the Southern 

 Counties of Scotland — the Ruthell Stone belongs to a very recent 

 period in comparison, and I am not aware of any of them being found 

 to the South of the Forth and Clyde. There are five or six in different 

 parts of Fifeshire, the St. Andrew's Stone Coffin being one of the most 



