PREFACE. 
rriHE twelfth volume of the Journal of the Transactions of 
the Victoria Institute is now issued. It will he found 
to contain papers hy the Right Rev. Bishop Cotterill, D.D., 
to whom the Institute is indebted for one of its most 
important papers, “ dealing with the deepest questions in 
a way that will carry conviction into the minds of candid 
and perplexed inquirers, and shake deeply-rooted prejudices 
which have long obscured intellects of high order;”* 
Professor Challis, M.A., F.R.S., F.R.A.S. (Plumian Professor 
of Astronomy at Cambridge) ; Professor Lias, M.A. ; Pro- 
fessor J. L. Porter, D.D., LL.D., whose long residence in 
the East has placed him amongst those able to deal prac- 
tically with questions bearing upon its topography; Mr. 
J. E. Howard, F.R.S. ; the late Mr. W. R. Cooper, F.R.A.S., 
M.R.A.S. (Secretary of the Society of Biblical Archaeo- 
logy) ; Mr. S. R. Pattison, F.G.S. ; the Rev. Dr. Rule 
(author of Oriental Records) ; the Rev. Isaac Taylor, M.A. ; 
and the Rev. H. G. Tomkins, M.A. To these, and to others 
at home and abroad, who have added to the value of the 
proceedings by contributing to the discussions, the best 
thanks of the Members and Associates ai’e due.f 
* Canon Cook, Editor of the Speakers' Commentary. 
t The Journal of the Transactions contains Papers read at the Meetings, 
and the Discussions thereon. Before they are published in the Journal, 
the Papers themselves, and the Discussions, are revised and corrected by 
vor,. xii. b * 
