the purposes for which they were used were totally different from those she ascribes to the Irish cloighteachs, as when she quotes Eginhard to prove that the Round Towers of St. Gall were designed for watch-towers. Again we have Dr. Petrie's authority for asserting that the form was known in Ireland previous to Christianity. Lastly, I would refer to a late publication by Westropp on the recent discovery of Round Towers in Brittany, in which he states that, according to the general traditions throughout the country, they were used as beacon-towers to attract the people to the churches after dark. Now though we cannot disbelieve such a statement, coming from so high an authority, it is most unlikely and improbable that these Round Towers in Brittany were built for the purpose of attracting the church-goers at night. The tradition rather suggests the dim remembrance of rites connected with fire having been once practised in those towers. And, remembering that Brittany was the last home of the early Pagan inhabitants of Gaul, and that their descendants have remained isolated and almost distinct from the rest of France to the present day, it is not to be wondered at that in so small a space more Round Towers exist than in all France or all Europe put together. In the course of this Essay I have endeavoured to place before you in a clear light the interesting problem of the Round Towers and their origin. I have stated the arguments for the Christian and Pagan theories, and given my reasons for believing that, as a question of probability, the original of the Round Towers was pre-Christian, and not with the Dane-harassed monks of the 9th, 10th, and 11th centuries, and that though they may have been used as keeps, bell-towers, or even Baptistries, they were not erected for such purposes. That we can state with any degree of certainty for what purpose or at what period they were built may not perhaps be possible; but I think we can decide as to whether they were Christian or Pagan: and whether we come to a definite conclusion or not, the subject is one of interest to every Irishman proud of the antiquities of his land; it is closely knitted to many others, and has the wondrous charm of the past, in the study of which our minds cannot fail to be enlarged, and “Thus shall Memory often in dreams sublime APPENDIX I. UNIVERSITY PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY. MDCCCLXXIX. FOUNDED 1853. President : T. S. FRANK BATTERSBY (Sen. Mod.), B.A. Secretary: Treasurer : GEORGE YEATES DIXON (Jun. ALEX. R. EAGAR (Sen. Mod.), Mod.), B.A. B.A. Honorary Members : The Right Rev. Charles Graves, Francis Tarleton, LL.D., F.T.C. Arthur Palmer, M.A., F.T.C. (Treas. 1861 and 1862-3.) Edward Dowden, LL.D., Professor of Oratory and English Literature (Pres. 1638-4.) F. Reay Greene, M.A., Professor of Natural History, Queen's College, Cork. E. J. Swifte, B.A. (Sec. 1859-60.) The Rev. T. P. Pope, M.A., ex-sch. (Pres. 1859-60.) Thomas E. Little, M.D., ex-sch. (Treas. 1859-60.) W. H. S. Monck, M.A., ex-sch. The Rev. John Dowden, M.A. Henry O'Hea, B.A. (Pres. 1865–6.) George F. Armstrong, M.A., Prof. of Modern Lit., Queen's College, Cork (Pres. 1865, and 1867-8.) John Todhunter, M.D. William R. Brownrigg, B.A., ex-sch. (Pres. 1854-5.) Rev. Henry R. Stewart, B.A. (Treas. 1854-5.) William Oldham, B.A. T. E. Webb, LL.D., Ex-F.T.C., John Ribton Garstin, M.A. Rev. Hewitt R. Poole, M.A., F.T.C. The Right Hon. Gerald Fitz Gibbon, M.A., Lord Justice of Appeal (ExSec. 1857-8.) Professor Mir Aulad Ali. George M. W. Hill, B.A. (Ex-Treas.) Robert S. Ball, LL.D., Astronomer Royal (Pres. 1860-1.) Rev. John Baptist Crozier, M.A. Rev. J. W. Stubbs, D.D., F.T.C. |