ecords of a whole realm, are
infinitely more valuable than the records of any individual family in
that realm. Let us fondly hope and trust that a proper spirit of
patriotism--that every feeling of good, generous, and gentlemanly
taste--will insure and hallow the future consecration of all such
Scottish antiquities as still remain--small fragments only though they
may be of the antiquarian treasures that once existed in our land.

Time, like the Sibyl, who offered her nine books of destiny to the Roman
king, has been destroying, century after century, one after another of
the rich volumes of antiquities which she formerly tendered to the
keeping of our Scottish fathers. But though, unhappily, our
predecessors, like King Tarquin, rejected and scorned the rich
antiquarian treasures which existed in their days, let us not now, on
that account, despise or decline to secure the three books of them that
still perchance remain. On the contrary,--like the priests appointed by
the Roman authorities to preserve and study the Sibylline records which
had escaped destruction,--let this Society carefully guard and cherish
those antiquities of our country which yet exist, and let them strive to
teach themselves and their successors to decipher and interpret aright
the strange things and thoughts that are written on those Sibylline
leaves of Scottish Archaeology which Fate has still spared for them.
Working earnestly, faithfully, and lovingly in this spirit, let us not
despair that, as the science of Archaeology gradually grows and evolves,
this Society may yet, in full truth, restore Scotland to antiquity, and
antiquity to Scotland.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 8: An inaugural Address delivered to the Society of
Antiquaries of Scotland, Session 1860-61]

[Footnote 9: As an illustration of this primitive pastoral idea of
wealth, Dr. Livingstone told me, that on more than one occasion, when
Africans were discoursing with him on the riches of his own country and
his own chiefs at home, he was asked the searching and rather puzzling
question, "But how many cows has the Queen of England?"]

[Footnote 10: As some confirmation of the views suggested in the
preceding question, my friend Captain Thomas pointed out to me, after
the Address was given, that the name of the fort in St. Kilda was, as
stated by Martin and Macaulay, "Dun Fir-bholg."]

[Footnote 11: Including the works of Homer, Plato, Sophocles, etc. Her
library catalogue shows also