NOTES ON THE PRE-HISTORIC ARCHEOLOGY OF EAST DEVON.'

By the Rev. RICHARD KIRWAN, M.A., F.S.A., F.E.S.L., Rector of GitUsham. In conformity with an inexorable law, the generality of mankind have ever passed away unnoticed and forgotten ; yet each succeeding age has produced individuals distin- guished above their fellows, whose names have been rescued from oblivion. Hence the origin of sepulchral memorials. From an instinctive desire on the part of the survivors to embalm the memory of those who in life were eminent for their wisdom or their valoui-, and sometimes also from feelings of affection, an effort was made to secure their remembrance by setting up over their remains some enduring sign or symbol. Thus Jacob set up a monument or pillar over the grave of Rachel, and Absalom built himself a pillar to hand down his name to posterity. Amongst the ancient Britons, the earliest sepulchral me- morials, like those of other ancient nations in a similar state of barbarism, were simply mounds of eai-th or of unhewn stones ; and these, if we except the cromlechs here and there remaining, were the only funeral monuments of this island previous to its Itccoming a province of the Roman J'jnjjire. These tnmuH or barrows lie scattered over all parts of the kingdom, though they occur more particularly in the most bairen ami exposed districts. On the hilly and uncultivated downs of Dorsetshiiv and Wiltshire they abound, as also in some parts of Scotland and Wales, whilst in other pails they are comparatively unknown. Some have been destroyed at dillerent times as agricultuic h.is progressed, whilst tlioso that still remain arc coiniiKinly placed on elevated situations tliat ha(; not yet been invailcil by the ' It<-[)riiit<.-<l, liy tins niitlioi'H kiii<l per- nicnt of Sciciico, liilur.iliiru, and Art. rniH)<i'>ii, frojii tlio 'JVfiiiwictiuiiM of tlio lb70. Duvoiirthiru Awiociiitiou foi- thu Aflvauto-