146 HAZZLEDINE WARREN I STUDY OF PRE-HISTORY IN ESSEX. 
claim. There are whole tracts of science which have been 
practically untouched by us. But the subject of pre-history is 
one the progress of which depends essentially upon the record and 
collation of local details ; and, in this department, I think we may 
be justly proud of what we have done. At least, that is the 
conclusion at which I have arrived, from the amount of labour 
that the preparation of this review of our work has entailed. 
This does not mean that, if I were beginning again, I should 
shrink from attempting it. On the contrary, the abstraction 
of certain of the main items of information in the various papers, 
and the classification of these under subject headings, has been, 
to me, quite a liberal education in pre-history. 
When I first thought of taking this subject for my Address, 
I intended to deal only with the more important papers in our 
journal. But, on second thoughts, it appeared to me that 
it would be more useful to disinter minor notices also ; for many 
of these contain important information and valuable suggestions.. 
In the classification, I found it impracticable to follow any 
uniform system throughout. I adopted, therefore, whatever 
method seemed best adapted to bring together the papers dealing 
with closely-related subjects. The localities are grouped together 
in districts, which are broadly based on the river systems, be¬ 
ginning with the Thames and Lea, and then passing down the 
other valleys (Crouch, Colne, etc.), from their sources towards, 
the sea. The papers under three of the headings (namely, Prob¬ 
lems of Pre-Palaeolithic Man, Deneholes, and Red-Hills) are 
arranged in order of date, as date is an important consideration 
in these subjects. 
Matters belonging to historic times are not excluded. These 
are not dealt with according to their date, but solely in such 
connection as may throw comparison upon more primitive con¬ 
ditions. 
I hope that this record may prove an incentive to further 
investigation in the days which we have come to speak of as. 
“ after the war ”—days which will be, we hope, happier days, 
but which yet seem so far from us. 
The publications dealt with are four in number, as follows .— 
[1] Transactions and Proceedings of the Essex Field Club > 
vol. i. (1880-1881) to vol. iii. (1882-1883) (cited as 
T. & P.). 
