ANTIQUITIES, a term properly denoting whatever testimonies, records, or memorials, of ancient nations have descended to modern times. It is likewise employ ed to signify the knowledge which may be obtained re specting the monuments, archives, implements, coins, ceremonies, arts and manners of ancient nations, as well as the science which professes to instruct us in that knowledge. Antiquities are called by Bacon, the wrecks of history ; comprising all such particulars as industri ous and learned men have collected from genealogies, in scriptions, monuments, coins, names, etymologies, ar chives, instruments, fragments of history, &c.
Considered as a science, or peculiar branch of study, antiquities has a very great extent, and includes a vast variety of important particulars. It extends to the.re mote and obscure periods of history ; to the origin of the different tribes of men ; the rise of governments ; the foundation of families ; the institution of offices in the state ; of forms of worship in religion ; and of tra ditionary observances among the people. It professes also to give the history of ancient edifices, habiliments, implements, coins, statues, paintings; and, in general, of every remarkable monument, both of the useful and ornamental arts. In addition to all this, it ought to make us acquainted with whatever is curious or instruc tive in the usages of ancient nations ; their domestic habits ; their favourite pursuits and amusements ; their ordinary practices and opinions. That all this kind of knowledge is highly useful, as well as curious and amus ing, cannot be reasonably denied ; although it is to be regretted, that on many of the branches of inquiry, which come within the province of the antiquarian, he must content himself with conjecture and hypothesis, instead of the certain testimony of fact. Antiquities is in truth the most conjectural of all sciences, if it. be al lowable to conjoin such an epithet as conjectural with the term science ; since, as has been observed by Dr Reid, " whatever is built upon conjecture, is improperly called science; for conjecture may beget opinion, but cannot produce knowledge." The historian is supposed to depend almost entirely upon testimony, and rarely to indulge conjecture ; but the antiquarian mixes conjec ture with testimony ; and the former often makes the larger ingredient. Let the student of antiquities, there
fore, be on his guard against this imperfection, in object of his pursuit ; and let him no farther rely on CRP knowledge which lie supposes himself to acquire, than as that knowledge is supported by competent, and suf ficiently credible evidence. On the other hand, let us avoid indulging in the ridicule and contempt, with which the study of antiquities is sometimes undeserved ly treated. It is true, that antiquaries, from a spirit of pedantry, or affectation of singularity, have often been guilty of carrying their researches into periods of im penetrable obscurity ; or employing themselves in labo rious investigations concerning trifling and contemptible objects. But we ought not, from the abuse of a science, to be induced to neglect its application to rational and useful purposes; and that such purposes may be ac complished by the study of antiquities, is sufficiently evinced by the valuable information which has been drawn from this source, respecting the history, laws, religion, manners, and literature, of a great number of ancient nations.
As the science or study of antiquities comprehends an extensive variety of important subjects, it has, with propriety, been divided into several subordinate branch es; of which the following seem most worthy of notice. 1. Ecclesiastical antiquities, subdivided into Jewish, Christian, Heathen, Mahorlittan, Sze. 2. Political or his torical antiquities, which profess to make us acquainted with the origin of states, governments, magistrates, and laws. 3. Military antiquities. 4. Literary antiqui ties, including those which relate to the history of the arts of design and of imitation : and, 5. Domestic an tiquities, which comprehend whatever concerns the manners and familiar employments of nations. In the few observations which we propose to make on the sub ject in this article, we shall not confine ourselves to this methodical division, which, after all, is not very philosophical.