Printed by T. BENSLEY, Bolt Court, Fleet Street. Sold at the SOCIETY'S APARTMENTS in SOMERSET PLACE; and by Meffieurs MDCCCIV. [ i ] INTRODUCTION: CONTAINING An Historical Account of the Origin and Establishment of the SOCIETY of ANTIQUARIES. THE Hiftory and Antiquities of Nations and Societies have been objects of inquiry to curious perfons in all ages, either to separate falfehood from truth, and tradition from evidence, to cstablish what had probability for its basis, or to explode what rested only on the vanity of the inventors and propagators. The first traces of every history were rude and imperfect; better methods of preferving facts fucceeded. The unchizeled stone or rudefst hieroglyphic accompanied the fongs of the bards, to perpetuate the atchievements of a whole nation, or a few individuals; till the use of letters, and the complicated transactions, claims, and interests of men, taught them to multiply memorials, and to draw them up with more skill and accuracy. The ufe of facts is HISTORY ;—not a proper arrangement and mere narrative taken up at random and embellished with poetic diction, but a regular and elaborate inquiry into every ancient record and proof, that can elucidate or establish them. For want of these, VOL. I. how |