122 



JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [YOL. XV. 



preserved their hues, despite the weathering of 1,400 years 

 and upwards, with a freshness and brilliancy that is simply 

 marvellous. 



If the art of permanently "fixing" colours was ever indi- 

 genous to Ceylon, it is hardly reasonable to believe that it 

 would have died out completely. In the East painters' guilds 

 are among the oldest methods of painting, being jealously 

 guarded and handed down from generation to generation 

 with rigid conservatism. The Nilagama " sitiyaru" who 

 closely examined them made no secret of the fact that the 

 best modern work exposed to wind and sun, as are the 

 Sigiriya frescoes, would not last twenty years. 



Yet here still survives an imperishable monument of 

 antiquity — painting dating back well-nigh a millenium and 

 a half. 



Quod non imber edax, non aquilo impotens 

 Possit diruere, aut innumerabilis 

 Annorum series. 



4. His Excellency the Governoe : I now invite any gentleman 

 present to make any remarks, or ask any questions, which he may think 

 desirable to make or ask, in order to elucidate, if necessary, the very 

 able and lucid lecture we have just heard. 



After a pause — 



5. Mr. J. Ferguson said the absence of the Acting Chief Justice, 

 who was to have taken charge of the resolution, had entailed on him 

 the duty of proposing a cordial vote of thanks to Mr. Bell for his 

 interesting and instructive Paper. 



Old residents, like himself, who recalled Mr. Bell's presence amongst 

 them in Colombo, realized his (Mr. Bell's) self-denial, when in the 

 course of duty, and in his enthusiasm for archaeology, he had got 

 banished to Anuradhapura. His labours there, year after year, under 

 but half-hearted encouragement, were known to them all. Fortunately, 

 greater interest and encouragement had been manifested under His 

 Excellency's regime. 



Now Mr. Bell had come to tell them of Sigiriya, to whose explora- 

 tion he had given portions of the past three years ; and, to aid in 

 bringing home to them the marvels of that Rock Fortress, was 

 exhibiting a brilliant display of paintings, so well executed by his 

 Draughtsman, Mr. Perera. 



He was not prepared to find Mr. Bell so firmly declaring the Sigiriya 

 frescoes were the work of Indian rather than Sinhalese artists ; but 



