And ending,

66

HARROW SCHOOL.

Junel. The successful candidate for the annual gold medal founded by Sir Robert Peel, was Mr. Edward Kent Karslake. The scholarship founded by the governors of the school, has been awarded to Mr. Empson. Mr. Hope, the son of the late Thomas Hope, esq. author of "Anastatius," was declared by the examiners to have stood second in the examination for that honour.

MERCHANT-TAYLORS' SCHOOL.

June 11. This being the day upon which, in accordance with the statutes of the College, the election of scholars from this school to St. John's, Oxford, takes place, the election fell on Jaines Bellamy the senior scholar. Two congratulatory orations were delivered by the two head boys, Messrs. James Bellamy and C. Child, in a style that deserves high praise. These were followed by six original compositions in Greek, Latin, and English, spoken by the six remaining monitors. The prizes given by the Company for the best compositions in English and Latin verse, have this year been awarded to James Bellamy for English verses upon the subject of "Richard the First in Palestine," and to Reginald J. Mapleton

for the Latin, upon the subject of the "Isacidæ," the motto being "Judai in sacram terram recepti, novi templi fundamenta locant."

SHREWSBURY SCHOOL.

June 7. Previously to the summer speeches were as usual delivered by the vacation of Shrewsbury School, the pupils, and Archdeacon Butler distributed the prizes to the successful scholars, for the last time as Head Master. When the company had retired to the library, the Recorder of Shrewsbury, in the name of the Trustees of the School, presented thanks of that body for his long and to Dr. Butler the unanimous vote of eminent services. The resolutions of the Trustees also congratulated the Rev. mediate advancement to the episcopal Gentleman on the prospect of his imbench, and communicated to him, that in order more fully to testify their own sense of his services, and to perpetuate the memory of them, they had determined to found an additional exhibition of 100% per annum, to be called for ever" Dr. Butler's Exhibition." These resolutions were written on vellum, and with the common seal attached, were inclosed in an elegant silver box. The Archdeacon having made a suitable reply, Mr. Marsh, the senior scholar present, then stepped forward, and respectfully addressing Dr. Butler, presented him, in the name of his fellow pupils, with a massive silver candelabrum, of three hundred guineas value, bearing an appropriate inscription. interesting ceremony concluded with a feeling and affectionate address from the Venerable Archdeacon to his pupils.

LITERARY FUND SOCIETY.

The

June 8. The 47th anniversary festival of this institution was celebrated at the Freemason's Tavern, the Duke of Somerset in the chair, supported by Sir R. Greisley, Bart. M.P. Hon. A. Trevor, M.P. T. W. Beaumont, esq. M.P. J. F. Tennent, esq. M.P. Mr. Serjeant Talfourd, M. P. &c. The general company was numerous, and comprised some foreigners of distinction, among whom were the Mulvee of the Nabob of Oude, and M. Von Raumur, Professor of History in the University of Berlin. At the head of the list of donations was, as usual, 100 guineas from his Majesty.

HEBER'S MONUMENT.

A beautiful monument has been recently erected to the memory of the late Bishop Heber, in the south-eastern aisle of St. Paul's Cathedral. represented in a kneeling position, with The Bishop is his left hand resting on the Bible, and the right applied to his breast. On

pedestal is a representation of the Bishop confirming two Indians. The monument, which is of very fine marble, was executed by Chantrey, and cost 13001. which was defrayed by private subscription.

PLOUGHING BY STEAM.

Some experiments were recently tried near Bolton, with a new and very powerful steam plough, constructed by Mr. Heathcoat, M.P. for Tiverton. About six acres of raw moss were turned up in a few hours; and turned up in the most extraordinary style-sods eighteen inches in breadth and nine inches in thickness being cut from the furrow, and completely reversed in position, the upper surface of the sod being placed exactly where the lower surface of the sod had been placed before.

THE EISTEDDFOD.

May 31. The Cambrian festival, called the Eisteddfod, was celebrated at the Freemason's Tavern; Rt. Hon. C. W. Wynn in the chair. At the conclusion of the concert, that which makes the most peculiar feature of the Eisteddfod, the "Pennillion" was sung by Mr. Parry and two other bards or Dadgeiniaid. The nature of this performance is, that the bard, who should be an improvisatore, sings to any air or airs which the harper, who plays not the accompaniment but the antecedent strain, may think proper to strike up or change to. The songs are given in Welsh The by each of the Dadgeiniaid in turn. airs which the old harper (a true antique) gave on this occasion were, the wellknown and beautiful Merch Megan," and "The Allurements of Love." The chairman then proceeded to report upon the state of the Cymmrodorion Society, and to award the prizes. He observed that Welsh literature, among other matters, had to congratulate itself on the preparation for the press, by the Rev. J. Jones, of Christ Church, Oxford, of the poems of Lewis Glyn Cothi, a bard of the 15th century, who had made the civil wars of York and Lancaster the subject

of his verses.

rope.

The thanks of the meeting having been proposed to the Hon. Chairman, and warmly carried, the Eisteddfod broke up its session for this year.

PUBLIC EDIFICES.

The particulars of several items in the Committee of Supply, and the matter disclosed, being of a description more interesting to the generality of our readers than the ordinary business of the House; we have reserved our notice of them for this place. Mr. Hume complained that the estimates of the expenses of public buildings and works were not more specific. The Chancellor of the Exchequer answered that he should be very ready to give the items more in detail when it could be done.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE.

Mr. Hume wished to know whether Buckingham Palace was to be inhabited or not. He understood that Marlborough House was her Majesty's private property; if so, why was there a charge in the estimates for its repair? The Chancellor of the Exchequer answered, that Marlborough House would only come into possession of her Majesty on a certain event, the demise of the Crown. The sum was merely for keeping it in repair. Buckingham Palace was not yet ready for the reception of his Majesty; a further expenditure of 15,0001. was necessary for its completion.

BRITISH MUSEUM.

Mr. Hawes objected to so large a sum as 25,3601. proposed for the new buildings of the British Museum. The Chancellor of the Exchequer said it was quite clear that the buildings should be completed,

but he should take care that no part of the money be expended before satisfactory inquiry had been made. In the course of the present session he hoped to be able to lay on the table a very small estimate, but for a very important object, viz. a national school of design for the immediate practical improvement of manufactures, and to serve as a model school for that purpose. There were also two supplementary votes for which he shoul ask, connected with two important acquisitions proposed to be made to the British Museum, both connected with the manufactures and arts of the country, but he

The

declined naming them at present. receipts of the British Museum last year were 19,6037. of which the public money voted by Parliament amounted to 17,7967; the payments for the year were 19,0761. leaving the estimated expenditure for the present year 23,6001. There is in the estimate a special item of 2,0001. for the purchase of manuscripts, and another of 500l. towards making moulds of the Elgin marbles. Of the special parliamentary grant of 6,000l. to purchase Egyptian antiquities, 5,0817. 16s. has been expended. The number of visitors to the general collection last year was 289,104.

SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES.

June 2. W. R. Hamilton, esq. V. P. Mr. Doubleday exhibited a cast from a seal of King Henry II. found among the charters of the church of Canterbury, and differing from the two already known. The impression is remarkable as having no reverse. The King is represented seated on his throne, and the general arrangement much resembles that of the seal of Louis VII. of France, of which Mr. Doubleday also exhibited a cast, from the Hotel Soubize.

The reading was continued of Mr. Alfred Burges's memoir on the history of the bridge at Stratford le Bow. If we rightly understood, he seems to suppose that the late building was not of the remote antiquity which is generally supposed; as he considers the arches to be of the Tudor style. If he applies the general rules of pointed architecture in this respect, to bridge arches, we think he may be mistaken.

municated a map of the Roman roads and other vestigia in Holderness and the neighbouring parts of Yorkshire.

The appendices, and concluding remarks, of Mr. Burges on Bow bridge, were then read to the meeting.

June 16. Hudson Gurney, esq. V. P.

The Rev. George Hull Bowers, B.D. Rector of St. Paul's, Covent-Garden, and Thomas John Green, esq. of Bedford, were elected Fellows of the Society.

A. J. Kempe, esq. F.S.A. exhibited a fac-simile of the plan of the four great Roman ways, the Ikenild, the Foss, the Ermin, and the Watling streets, preserved in the MS. copy, by Matthew Paris, of the history of Offa and lives of the Abbats of St. Alban's. (MS. Cotton, Nero, D. 1.) and engraved in Gough's British Topography, Pl. I. Mr. Kempe illustrated the drawing by an essay on the formation of these roads by the Romans, on the direction which they took, and on the vicinal branches by which they were attended, which passed generally under the appellation of the way with which they were connected by parallel course, or from which they, in some instances, branched off at right angles. He instanced the vicinal branch which con. nected the Watling street and lower pa.

The Dean of Hereford presented a lithographic print of the very ancient font, probably of the Saxon æra, in Eardisley church, Herefordshire. It is of the bowl form, and surrounded with very curious bas-reliefs, which are inaccurately represented in a plate in Duncombe's Herefordshire.

John Walker, esq. of Malton, comGENT. MAG. VOL. VI.

the Lea river at Old Ford, near Bow. He remarked that it was a vulgar error to suppose that the main Roman way into Essex did not originally pass the Lea at Stratford le Bow. In the Anglo-Norman times the Ford might have become impassable at that point; but the very denomination, Stratford, as well as the course of the road, shewed that the line of the Roman way was always through Stratford us at present, while a vicinal branch passed the river at Old Ford. He

M

had lately measured Old Watling street where it remains very perfect on Dartford Brent, and found its elevation to be about five feet, its breadth at the base sixty; on the crest eighteen; it was flanked on either side by a foss. On the brow of the bill east of Dartford, he stated, were lately found, in connection with the Watling street, various sepulchral urns, and a rude and massive stone coffin, in which a body had been interred, surrounded by a calcareous cement, which retained the impression of the limbs and the drapery in which they had been enveloped. The Society adjourned to the 17th of November.

ANCIENT TOMB IN ITALY.

There has lately been discovered at Cerveteri, in the States of the Pope, a tomb of the highest antiquity. It contained the body of a priest of Cybele, with several interesting and rare articles of gold, as bracelets, rings, necklaces or collars, cups most beautifully chased, pateræ, an altar for burning incense, and instruments for opening and inspecting the entrails of the sacrifices; also, thirty-six idols in terra cotta, and bronze handles of whips, the thongs of which were decomposed. The body was laid upon a broad iron bar, and covered with a robe of gold tissue, considerable fragments of which still remain.

EGYPTIAN MUMMY.

May 27. T. J. Pettigrew, esq. F.R.S. and S.A. undertook the task of bringing again into light, after the lapse of perhaps thirty centuries or more, one of the inhabitants of ancient Egypt, before one of the most crowded assemblies within the walls of the Royal Institution. It is one brought by the late Mr. Salt from Thebes, and purchased by Mr. Pettigrew at a sale of Egyptian antiquities a few months since. It had three cases; a painted wooden one in contact with the body, an outer coffin, and a sarcophagus of sycamore wood. This, which was of an oblong shape, is of exceeding interest, for it is covered with hieroglyphics and pictorial representations in various cojours. One of these represented the deceased conducting the boat of the sun (the emblem of this deity, Phra, being seated in the centre, under a canopy formed by the snake Ureus, ornamented with the mitre, typical of the upper regions), and steered by Horus, the son of Osiris. Mr. Pettigrew remarked that Horus was always the steersman of the boats, and he thinks Horus, or Hor, is the origin of the Greek Haron, or Charon, and perhaps Har-ône, the living Horus. Another singular representation

on the sarcophagus was illustrative of the deceased throwing off this "mortal coil," represented by the corporeal man painted red, falling to the mother earth; and the spiritual part, painted blue, with the hands extended to the heavens. From some of the hieroglyphics Mr. Pettigrew decyphered that the individual was a priest concerned in the libations; that his name was Osiri, the son of a priest of Ammon. The inside of the coffin contained various figures, connected with the Egyptian mythology, and prayers offered up to various deities for the deceased. They ran in this manner: "Open the gate of heaven, open the world, open the gate of the region of the stars, open the gate of Ameuti, the good region, to Osiri." At the foot of the case Isis was painted, and a line of hieroglyphics, expressing, "This is Isis, who embraces thy feet." At the bottom of the case is a representation of the deceased, as a mummy, on the back of the sacred Bull, which is galloping off with the body. Mr. Pettigrew gave various interpretations of the characters, and then proceeded to unfold the mummy. The bandages were exceedingly numerous, very clean, applied in the neatest manner possible, and extended to, perhaps, not less than 2,000 yards. Several inscriptions were found upon the bandages. During the time allotted to the meeting, Mr. Pettigrew was able entirely to uncover only one side of the head, which appeared in perfect preservation, ancient Egyptian's countenance. and clearly exhibited the features of the The remainder was then left to be developed at the Lecturer's leisure.

ANTEDILUVIAN REMAINS.

Dr. Klippstein, a German savant, who has long devoted himself to the study of geology, and who is at present directing the excavations in the neighbourhood of Alzei (a small town in Rhenish Hesse), where numerous fossil bones have been found, has lately made a most valuable discovery for natural history. In digging twenty-eight feet below the soil, near Eppe'sheim, about a league distant from Alzei, he found in a state of the most perfect preservation the head of dinotherium giganteum, probably the most colossal of the antediluvian animals, whose existence was first indicated, and nearly specifically determined by Dr. Caup, the learned zoologist. The head measures six feet in length, by three-and-a-half in breadth; and its weight is nearly five quintals. Near the head was found an humeral bone, six feet long, weighing two quintals, appertaining apparently to the same animal. No remains of this kind have ever been found before.