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Irctatflajgia (ftarokrmis. FIFTH SERIES.—VOL. XIV, NO. LIV APRIL 1897. SLEBECH COMMANDERY AND THE KNIGHTS OF ST. JOHN. BY J. ROGERS REES, ESQ. I. —Introductory. Emerson once said : " Genius is the activity which repairs the decays of things, whether wholly or partly of a material and finite kind"; and again : " Every master has found his materials collected, and his power lay in his.....love of the materials he wrought in." In both instances he was referring to " the poet", and I sometimes think that, in reality, our proverbial diy-as-dust, be he known as antiquary or archaeologist, is no mean poet. He may not utter a song; but nis re-creations of the past are in many instances fuller of gorgeous pageantry and the thrill of life than aught revealed to us in the stately verse of many an acclaimed Parnassian. I question very much whether any one can persistently and successfully devote his days and years to the study of old-time documents ana weather-worn stones and mortar without the inner fire of imagination to give pointedness to his aims, life to his cold gleanings, reality to his logical conclusions. Without imagination a stone is but a stone; and remains, pregnant with old-time tales, 5th ber., vol. xiv. 7