IV 



s abject is a very abstruse one, and I cannot say that I feel competent 

 to enter into many details. In spite of the labours of Young, Champol- 

 lion, Birch, and the distinguished band of German and French Egypto- 

 logists, there must remain much to discover in this extensive field of 

 research. Dr. Hnsrcxs was one of their most successful followers, and 

 Egyptian mythology and chronology owe much to him. 



However, of late years Dr. Hnsrcxs devoted the energies of his 

 acute mind chiefly to the elucidation of the inscriptions in the arrow- 

 headed character which are so numerous in Persia and Assyria. 



Among the scientific triumphs of the present century, there is 

 scarcely one more remarkable than the progress which has been made 

 in unravelling the enigmas of these hitherto unknown tongues. 



Grotefend, Lassen, and Sir Henry Eawlinson led the way ; and the 

 latter two have most satisfactorily deciphered the Persian portion of the 

 trilingual inscription of Behistun. However, the other two portions — 

 the Median and Babylonian — have in great measure baffled them by 

 the enormous difficulty they have to contend with in an almost total 

 ignorance of the languages in which they are written. Great as the dif- 

 ficulties were to be encountered in the Persian inscription, there were 

 powerful aids in the knowledge we possess of the Sanscrit, Zend, Peh- 

 levi, and other cognate languages, which appear to have been closely 

 allied to the ancient Persian. The Median and Babylonian are supposed 

 to be Semitic languages, and with but little resemblance to any other. 

 I am not aware whether anything has been attempted in regard to the 

 Median inscriptions. Dr. Hincks most successful^ grappled with the 

 Babylonian, and I believe his original discoveries have been confirmed 

 by the independent observations of others. 



Working in a remote country parish, without the advantage of 

 public libraries, or the familiar intercourse with fellow- students, in these 

 obscure inquiries, he deserves every honour that we can pay to his me- 

 mory ; and we must feel most grateful for the value which his erudite 

 essays have conferred on our " Transactions." 



I doubt not that more competent persons will give to the world a 

 more complete and extensive account of his services to Oriental litera- 

 ture ; but I should be wanting in my duty as your President, if I did 

 not seize the earliest opportunity of offering my tribute to his worth 

 and eminence. 



The following papers were read by the Secretary : — 



" Notes on some of the Ancient Villages in the Aran Isles, County 

 of Galway ;" by G. Henry Kinahan, F.KG.S.I. 



" Notes on a Crannoge in Lough N aneevin ;" by G. Henry Kinahan, 

 E.RG.S.I. 



The President informed the Academy that he, with a deputation of the 

 Council, had on the 6th December waited on the Lord Lieutenant, with 

 reference to the increased Annual Grant to the Academy recommended 

 by the Select Committee of the House of Commons, in 1866. 



Donations were presented, and thanks voted to the donors. 



