ONE OF HER MAJESTY'S PHYSICIANS FOR SCOTLAND, AND PROFESSOR OF MEDICINEAND MIDWIFERY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH
VOL. I.
EDINBURGH
EDMONSTON AND DOUGLAS
PUBLISHERS TO THE SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES
MDCCCLXXII[Pg iv]
Printed by R. & R. Clark, Edinburgh.[Pg v]
The late Sir James Simpson, in the midst of his anxious professionallabours, was wont to seek for refreshment in the pursuit of subjects ofa historical and archæological character, and to publish the results inthe Transactions of different Societies and in scientific journals.
Some of these papers are now scarce, and difficult of access; and adesire having been expressed in various quarters for their appearance ina collected and permanent form, I was consulted on the subject by SirWalter Simpson, who put into my hands copies of the various essays, withnotes on some of them by his father, which seemed to indicate that hehimself had contemplated their republication.
Having for a long time been acquainted with their merits, I did nothesitate to express a strong opinion in favour of their publication; andI accepted with pleasure the duty of editing them, which Sir Walterrequested me to perform.
The papers in question were the fruit of inquiries[Pg vi] begun indeed as arelief from weightier cares; but as it was not in their author's natureto rest satisfied with desultory and superficial results in histreatment of any subject, so his archæological papers more resemble theexhaustive treatises of a leisurely student, than the occasional effortsof one overwhelmed in professional occupations.
In the present work will be found all the more important archæologicalpapers of Sir James Simpson, collected from the various sourcesindicated in the Table of Contents.
The subjects to the antiquities of which Sir James first directed hisattention were connected with his own profession; but, as time went on,his interest in historical pursuits deepened and expanded, and thequestions discussed by him became more varied.
It has been thought best to arrange the papers of a general historicalscope in the first volume, and those connected with professionalantiquities in the second; but readers, who may wish to trace the orderin which they were written by the author, will find their various datesin the Table.
The first paper, entitled "Archæology, its Past and its Future Work,"was prepared as a lecture to the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.This was done with a care and elaboration which are not alwaysassociated with such efforts; and, whether in indicating the object andend of the archæological student's pursuits,—sketching the pastprogress of the study,—and specifying the lines of re[Pg vii]search from whichScottish inductive archæology may be expected to derive additional dataand facts,—nothing more thoroughly practical could be desired; while inhis resumé of the difficulties and enigmas peculiar to Scottishantiquities, he may be said to have left none of them untouched, hispassing allusions being, in many instances, suggestive of theirsolution.
The paper on "An old Stone-roofed Cell or Orato