48 THEOPHILUS G. PINCHES^ ESQ., LL.D., M.E.A.S., ON 



which language many texts were written, such as the hymns to 

 Tammuz and other divinities, and that which I have called " the 

 lament of the Daughter of Sin." 



As many nations are engaged in the work of unearthing the 

 remains of Babylonia and Assyria, there is every probability 

 that we shall sooner or later obtain still further inscription 

 bearing on the text, and probably many completions. Whatever 

 one may write, it is therefore certain before long to be super 

 seded. No Assyriologist can therefore at present hope to do 

 much of real permanent value. It is on that account that much 

 of what I have written to read before you this afternoon already 

 needs change and supplementing, but when my paper is printed 

 in the Journal of the Institute, I trust that it will be found, 

 within its compass, up to date. 



Discussion. 



The Chairman. — I am sure we have all listened with great 

 attention to this very valuable paper. It is difficult to in any way 

 measure or estimate the amount of profound research and infinite 

 patience — " that true mark of genius," as Carlyle expressed it — that 

 this paper shows. To those of us who remember the beginning of 

 the reading of the cuneiform inscriptions, it is especially interesting 

 to have these highly developed, if not fully developed, discoveries 

 of the thoughts and ideas of those very ancient people. 



It may be a little perplexing to some of us to follow the thoughts 

 in their minds, but one point presents itself to us, and that is the strong 

 likeness we see in these people's ideas to those of Agnostics of the 

 present day, and it is very interesting to find them recurring after 

 these thousands of years. 



Mr. W. St. Chad Boscawen. — I hope you will excuse me when 

 I say that I think it is hardly fair to discuss this extremely 

 elaborate paper until it is printed. It is a good deal hampered, 

 too, by the work that has appeared within the last few days. That 

 work is certainly most up-to-date. But there are one or two points 

 to which I would refer in these traditions, as I believe I was the 



