62 
Pi'ocecdimjs of the Royal Irish Academy. 
is practically excluded. Generally speaking, the departments of Polite 
Literature wliich. find most favour with us are those which border 
most nearly upon the other branch of our programme — Archaeology ; 
and I have no doubt, therefore, that the Academy has done wisely in 
consolidating these divisions, by embracing in a single department 
Polite Literature and Antiquities. I have not, I am happy to say, any 
complaint to make of the inactivity of our members in this department 
On the contrary, the number of communications upon this subject 
made to the Academy during the last ten years is considerably in ad- 
vance of the number of those made during the previous decade. 
But the length at which I have spoken on the department of Science, 
forbids me to enter upon the other great division further than I have 
already done in speaking of the Museum and the Library. I regret 
this the less, partly because the amount of good which the President 
can do by his Address must depend largely upon his own familiarity 
with the subject upon which he undertakes to speak, and partly be- 
cause the fact that my three predecessors in this chair have been able 
archaeologists, makes it the less necessary that I should dwell upon the 
subject now. 
Before passing from it, however, I would indicate as an object 
closely uniting the two parts of this great division — an object, too, in 
every way worthy of the attention of the Eoyal Irish Academy — a 
more profound study of the philology of the Celtic languages. In 
truth, this is the purpose which our valuable collection of manuscripts 
is really calculated to serve. It is this, and not mere literary interest, 
which makes them valuable. The deciphering of inscriptions — a work 
to which the ingenious method described and practised by Dr. Tergu- 
son promises increased success — should contribute to the same object ; 
and among secondary aids to the same purpose, I may mention that a 
considerable sum of money has been given by the liberality of Mr. 
Hudson towards the formation of an Irish dictionary, but has unfor- 
tunately now lain for many years idle. The weapons are there ; it 
only wants the arm of an O'Donovan to wield them. If Mr. Whitley 
Stokes were resident in Ireland, instead of being resident in India, 
how great would be the benefit to Celtic philology. It seems proper 
to mention here, although probably many of you know it already, that 
an attempt is being made, at once to serve the cause of Celtic philology 
and to perpetuate the name of one who was so long and so intimately 
associated with the Royal Irish Academy, by the foundation of a Todd 
Professorship in the Celtic languages. Could a sufficient sum be ob- 
tained for this purpose, the best results might be anticipated. 
And now, gentlemen, in drawing these remarks towards a close, I 
would inquire, Does the review in which we have been engaged suggest 
any practical expedient by which the efficiency of our labours may be 
increased, and with it the number and value of our contributions to 
Science and Archeeology. Two such suggestions occur to me. 
I would earnestly press upon all our members, and more especially 
upon those who are themselves engaged in scientific or antiquarian 
