13G 



The Sixteenth General Meeting. 



(we agree with. Sir G. 0. Lewis) are nothing unless they can be 

 traced to contemporary authority. For instance, the pyramids of 

 Egypt — whatever was found in the rubbish heaps upon the Danish 

 coasts — whatever implements were found in the gravel-pits, or the 

 barrows of this country or of France and which are attracting daily 

 increasing attention as records of the early condition of mankind 

 — these were historic monuments if they were anything ; or to take 

 a more popular instance, if we regard as fabulous the story of 

 Romulus and Remus, of the wolf and the vultures, of Numa and 

 Egeria, of Servius Tullius and the Tarquins ; yet there is material 

 evidence of insular eminences rising out of the swamps on the south 

 side of the Tiber, fit to be the fastnesses of outlaws. Then in the 

 dyke defending the promontories cut off from the nearest table-land, 

 we have evidence of a larger and more settled population, probably 

 of Latin and Sabine origin. In the Cloaca Maxima, the great 

 drain, and in the religious system, prevailing through the period 

 of the subsequent republic, we have proof of an interval of Etruscan 

 dynasty, and Etruscan civilization. All these things are as truly 

 historical, though not annalistic, as the Annual Register or the 

 Times. 



Coming to our own county, Sir John reminded the meeting that 

 they were about to have a paper read upon the pit dwellings near 

 Salisbury, and that there were in the Blackmore Museum many 

 interesting monuments of ancient times, some of which had lately 

 been found in the gravel or clay existing near Salisbury. Then 

 they had Avebury — a vast but rude work ; Stonehenge, a large, 

 and more accurately executed work, but entirely without mouldings 

 — all of which things were material with regard to the works of 

 man in bygone ages. 



There seem to be four grades of historical criticism, or want of 

 criticism. 1st. Blind and indiscriminating acceptance. 2ndly. 

 Equally crude and unenquiring incredulity. 3rdly. The simple 

 omission of what is thought incredible, and retension of the rest, with 

 a colouring of 18th century ideas, without enquiring how far the 

 incredible facts were essential to the story or to the credit of the 

 narrator as to the rest. Of the last grade, that of really critical en- 



