Viewing the inscription from the palaeographical and philological point of view, we find a considerable corruption of the language and orthography, -indicating that the confusion of n,, v, ɛ, o, into the single sound of Iota, had already become common. So, also, o and w are confounded, as by the modern Greeks. The form of the A MA approaches the current Greek letters; then is used for the, and vice versa,f the v for os, and the supersedes often the w.

As to the meaning of the inscription, it is the following:

"LET US STAND well, let uS STAND WITH REVERENCE, LET US STAND with fear, leT US ATTEND TO THE SACRED OBLATION, IN PEACE TO OFFER TO GOD. THE MERCY, THE PEACE, THE SACRIFICE OF PRAISE, AND THE LOve of God and Father, and the grace of OUR LORD AND GOD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST, Be upon us. AMEN. IN THE FIRST YEAR OF HADRIAN, PATRIARCH OF THE CITY. REMEMBER, O LORD, THY SERVANT JOHN, THE LEAST PRESBYTER OF THE DWELLING OF HOLY AGATHA. AMEN. REMEMBER, O LORD, THY SERVANT ANDREW MACHERA. SAINT AGATHA, HOLY MOTHER OF GOD. REMEMBER, O LORD, THY SERVANT AND OUR SHEPHERD, HADRIAN, THE PATRIARCH. REMEMBER, O LORD, THY SERVANT JOHN, THE SINNER, THE presbyter."

*

χαρης for χαρις.

† πυμενος for ποιμενος.

+ ίρίνη, τι, 6, αγαπι, ετι, for είρηνη, τη, ή, αγάπη, ετεί.

|| στομεν, καλος, ευλαβος, for στωμεν, καλως, ευλαβως ; but likewise θεωτωκος for Θεοτοκος, προςχομεν for προςεχωμεν.

PROCEEDINGS.

NINTH SESSION, 1856-57.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING.

St. George's Hall, 18th October, 1856.

SAMUEL GATH, Esq., in the Chair.

The minutes of the last meeting were regarded as read, and were confirmed and signed.

The Honorary Secretary read the following

REPORT:

At the close of the eighth year of the operations of this Society, the retiring Council have the gratification to report its continued progress; in internal resources, in external usefulness, and also, as they believe, in public esteem. It has already adapted itself so well to the new constitution of 1854, and its mode of procedure is so well known, that they believe their successors in office will be called upon rather to strengthen and complete the framework which exists, than to originate anything new.

Experience enables them to suggest two points on which greater completeness might be given to the present system. One is the Intellectual Inquiries of the Society, which might be reduced to order in some detail as well as in the general principles, so as to secure the best papers on subjects of interest, without any important division being too long overlooked. The other is a more specific arrangement of Finances, so that each class of receipts shall in general be applied to a distinct purpose, and each class of payments be regulated by the general income, so as to make the Society at once more efficient, and perpetually self-supporting.

In the month of August, the annual volume was issued to the members. It contains more than 300 printed pages, and is illustrated by sixteen plates, four of them being of unusually large size. It may be regarded as a fair sample of what the members may expect to be furnished with during the future years of their connexion with the Society. Each of the previous volumes is enriched by special donations of illustrations, and the present constitutes no exception to this interesting rule. Besides three plates contributed by members, five of the most costly in production together with tabular printed matter, had been prepared for the annual volume of a sister society, whose officers generously placed them at our disposal.

At the close of the seventh session, the number of members of all kinds was 444; at the close of the eighth it is 458. The following is a detailed analysis of them :-Life Members, 36; Resident Annual, 240; Non-resident do., 147; Ex-officio, 3; Lady Associates, 4; Honorary Members, 28. At the commencement of the first session the number of ordinary members was 217; there has therefore been, during eight years, an average increase of 27 per session.

During the past session a room has been rented, and suitably furnished, at No. 57, Ranelagh Street, and the Society's Library, Museum, and miscellaneous property, have been deposited in it. A Catalogue of the whole is in type; and the Council have the