ARCH.EOLOG SCOTICA.
HAD the Society of Antiquaries of London imitated the courtesy of their brethren of' Edinburgh, by sending their recent publications to the critical ,journals, means would be afforded us of taking a general view of the progress of archaeological and historical know- ledge in the last three ■ ears, under the auspices of two learned associations incorporated by Royal Charters, and boasting of the Sovereign of these realms as their patron. The Antiquaries of London, however, do not invite, and, if we are truly informed, are not gratified by public criticism on their proceedings. They feel that animadversions may embody censure as well as praise;
and that if the world once takes the trouble to bestow its attention on a public institution, the objects for which it exists, and the means which it possesses for properly executing those objects, are closely compared with the manner in which its afibirs are actually ; conducted. No doubt, the officers of that Society act prudently as well with regard to their own interests, as to the character of the association over which they preside, in not exciting the notice of the world to their transactions ; and in the absence of evidence to the contrary, it is Fair to assume, that their later volumes equal in extent of information, profundity of thought, felicity of discovery, and depth of research, the twenty or thirty preceding ones, the contents of which have been no less humorously ridiculed by HORACE WALPOLE, than justly lamented by HALLAM, DISRAELI, and other historians.
It is certainly no praise to say, that the volume which has just emanated from the Society of Antiquaries of Edinburgh is of at least equal value to the works of the London Society of Antiqua- ries ; or to add that some of the papers are of greater interest. The' articles on Vitrified Sites, or, as they are sometimes erroneously called, " Forts," by Dr. HIBBERT, contains much information on that long-mooted question; and common sense having at last been brought against wild theories and absurd speculations,—those characteristics of the Oldbucks of the preceding century, when
antiquaries stretched their imaginations and closed their under-. standings, opened their mouths but shut their eyes,--a rational conclusion appears to have been formed on the subject. Mr. LAING'S inquiries respecting DRUMMOND the poet, indicate much industry ; and, from their throwing some light on the character of BEN JoNsox, will be read with pleasure, even by those who are- indifferent to the history of so obscure a poet as DRUMMOND. The History of the Clan Gregor, by Mr. DONALD GREGORY, the zealous Secretary to the Society, is, we hope, only the first of a series of similar memorials of other clans. Mr. REPP'S paper on " Hogma- nay," and " Trollalay," is the most perfect specimen we remem- ber to have seen of first forming a conjecture, and then working oneself into as firm a conviction of the correctness of the hypothesis as if it were established by the highest class of evidence. If that learned gentleman has not convinced, he has at least amused us, which is perhaps better ; for had lie proved Iris point, it would no longer be open to some profound and erudite antiquary—and the subject is suited to many of the fraternity of Somerset House —to impugn his conclusions, and then to build a theory of their own, to be in its turn overthrown by some genius yet unborn. Most of the other papers in the volume relate to local excavations, or to matters which, thought worth recording, are of slight general nterest.
Though we are not authorized in attributing much historical or antiquarian value to this volume, it enables us to perform a duty which we have long sought an opportunity of executing. In the present melancholy state of literature—if literature it can be called, when so little of what is of a high and standard character emanates from the press—the aid of societies for the publication of materials for history is indispensable. The Government has long been aware of the fact ; and half a million of money has been spent —we had almost said wasted—with the view of extending histori- cal knowledge, by printing and preserving those documents from which alone history can be correctly written. The misdeeds of the Commissions by which this enormous sum was expended, the utter unfitness of the Commissioners, and the shameless jobbery of persons acting under their authority, have beed fully exposed ; and the exposure produced the dissolution of the- late and the formation of the new Commission, to which nearly 9,0001. was voted by Parliament in the last session. Upon that grant we made some remarks, which the names of the Commis- sioners and many of their acts seemed to justify ; and we shall pro- bably recur to the subject. Much, no doubt, remains to he done for historical knowledge; and it must be conceded, that nothing can be effected, in the present state of literature, without the aid of a. Parliamentary grant, The Society of Antiquaries of London might render great benefit to history, if its funds were properly expended and its energies judiciously directed. Enough has been said, in the /1-r.,m/ininster and Retmsretire Reviews, to show that nothing which is really useful will ever emanate from that quarter, until a searching reform takes place in its affairs ; and that no
such reform can possibly be expected during the time of certain • incubi, who consume a large portion of the funds, and utterly int- of the Mindless are perhaps more dramatic than genuine.
The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland presents a striking con- trast, in the disinterested zeal of those by whom it is managed. Though its apartments are in what may be considered Government property, it is not exempted either from rent or taxes : all its offi- cers perform their services gratuitously : and though half its dis- posable income is swallowed up in rent, taxes, and other incidental expenses, it has managed to form by far the best public Museum of Antiquities in Great Britain, to which the public have free ac- cess, and which many thousand strangers visit annually. Its library, we are told, is useful, and rapidly increasing; and every thing which zeal, struggling with limited resources, and stimu- lated alone by patriotic motives, can effect, is done to maintain for the institution a creditable place among the literary associations of the age. Can the President, Vice-Presidents, Treasurer, Di- rector, and the two overpaid Secretaries of the London Society of Antiquaries, learn these facts without blushing ? What stranger ever heard of its Museum, or of the antiquities which it possesses ? and if an inquiry be made after them, they hear the disgraceful fact that they arc consigned to the vaults of Somerset House, and have not seen the light of day for years ! Its library fills a large room ; but such an air of gloom and discomfort prevails, that the books arc rarely removed from the shelves; and not ten pounds per annum are spent in augmenting its contents. A drowsy, monotonous, soul-depressing spirit pervades the establishment— genius cannot breathe in so dense an atmosphere : and it is only necessary to visit one of the weekly meetings to become impressed with the lamentable condition of a body which might, if properly conducted, render the most important services to English history, and secure for itself an honourable reputation throughout Europe. At this moment it presents a spectacle humiliating to the literary character of this country ; and the hope is almost vain that any improvement in its constitution or proceedings is near at
hand. T the feelings of the age and the general desire for know- ledge, the doors of the Society of Antiquaries of London are her-
metically sealed. Neither remonardnce nor sarcasm avail. The unpaid have not energy or interest enough in the institution to control their well-paid nominal servants, but real masters, who make the quiet enjoyment of their salaries the main object of their thoughts and ambition.
The Bannatyne and Maitland Clubs reflect honour on the Scot- tish nation. The volumes which they have printed, arc the riche.t materials of Scottish history. extant ; and by these publications no individual gains a single farthing. They are well and learnedly edited, and are of much greater value than all the works which the Society of Antiquaries of Lendon'has put forth in the eighty- one years that have elapsed since its incorporation. We have said
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