expect to find monuments fimilar to that in queftion. Strahlenberg has favoured the public with feveral infcriptions from that country, from which the Colonel has felected one that bears, in his opinion, a ftrong resemblance to this in New England: it must be acknowleged that it is fomething fimilar to the draught taken by Dr. Darnforth in 1680, and alfo to that communicated by Dr. Mather in 1712, but it is rather unlike those of a later date. The Colonel recommends the poftponing farther conjectures till the publication of the Ruffian difcoveries in Siberia, whence much information may be expected. The Barberini, now Portland, Vafe, is the fubject of the two next differtations; the firft written by John Glen King, D. D. the other by Charles Marsh Efq. The urn or vafe was found in the tomb fuppofed to be that of Alexander Severus; it is called Barberini, having been fome time in the poffeffion of the Italian family of that name, but it lately made a part of the Dutchels of Portland's mufæum. It is evidently glafs (Dr. King apprehends), or compofition, of a deep blue or violet colour; the figures are in baffo relievo, and are white; which, on this dark blue ground, adds greatly to the beauty of this moft excellent piece of ancient art *: but what the fubjects reprefent, it is certainly difficult, at this diftant period, to afcertain. Different explications have been offered, but the above-mentioned gentlemen agree in the reference which these basso relievos may have to Severus in allufion to Alexander the Great, to whofe name he was ftrongly attached: but they vary much as to other particulars. Mr. Marsh, who conveys his fentiments in Latin, fuppofes that the abandoned Heliogabalus, with his divorced emprefs, make one part of the group; and he confiders the remaining part as regarding Severus, with his mother Mammaa. He views the fubject, with regard to its defign, as fomewhat in the manner of Hogarth, fatirizing vice and recommending virtue. The Latin effay is well written, the hypothesis is very ingenious, and supported by extracts from hiftorians, particularly Lampridius; but whether it is entirely juft, is yet rather doubtful. Account of an ancient Painting on Glafs; by the Rev. Robert Mafters. This relic has figures like thofe on a feal ring of Sir Richard Worfley's, mentioned in the fourth volume of this work t. It was there determined that the device on the ring related entirely to the family of Stewart; this glass, dated in the * The Duke of Portland having, with his wonted liberality of mind, configned this precious relic of antiquity to the care of Mr. Wedgwood, that excellent artift, we are informed, has been, for fome time paft, employed in copying it; and we have no doubt of his fuccefs. + See Review for December 1777, P. 45°. year year 1574, confirms the conclufion. It presents a figure of Banquo, much mutilated; from whom iffues a tree, on the branches of which are fifteen small half-length figures in armour, holding their shields of arms in their left hands. The fourth figure is Alexander, grandson of Walter (who affumed the name of Stuart), in whofe efcutcheon a lion is united with the original coat of Steward. This Alexander died about the year 1199, and having been in the holy wars (as they were ftyled) might have met with an adventure that gave rife to this reprefentation. The thirtieth number gives us a fhort explanation of infcriptions on a Roman altar and tablet, found at Tinmouth castle in Northumberland A. D. 1783; by the Rev. Mr. Brand, fecretary to the Society. From one of thefe infcriptions, this ingenious writer feems to fuppofe that a circular recefs, adjoining to Tinmouth caftie, called Prior's haven, has been one of the artificial harbours of the Romans, and is here alluded to, as formed by Maximinus, poffibly the person who was afterwards emperor; and then, the date will be fome little time before A. D. 235. William Bray Efq. gives an account of the obfolete office of Purveyor to the King's houfhold. It affords us fome pleature to ob ferve the word obfolete in the above fentence, for who could with any patience endure the oppreffions occafioned by this and other exertions of royal authority? In the fimplicity of older times, when gold and filver were fcarce, the houfhold of the king was fupported by provifions furnifhed from his demefnes. In a courfe of years, many lands were granted on the condition of yielding certain fupplies at fixed feafons. Thus we are told, for inftance, that the town of Yarmouth is bound to fend to the fheriffs of the city of Norwich a hundred herrings, which are to be baked in twenty-four pyes or pafties, and thence delivered to the lord of the manor of Eaft Carlton, who is to convey them to the King. They are ftill fent, we are informed, to the office of the clerk of the kitchen at St. James's; but, fays Mr. Bray, the pyes could never have been of much service as provifions, unless they were made differently from what they now are, or our anceftors had ftronger teeth and ftomachs than we have. With fuch accounts we may be diverted, but the office of Purveyor was wholly different, and became a very ferious evil. It is with regret we obferve it prevailing in its height during the reign of Edward III. generally allowed to be one of the most accomplished princes [as to accomplishments of real worth and ufefulness] who have fat on the British throne. Hence we infer, that the oppreffions fo juftly complained of, did often arife, not fo much from the tyrannical difpofition of the King, as from unprincipled and mercenary people who attend a court, and will find means in fome way or another to crowd about Kings and heirs apparent. Several acts were paffed in this reign to regulate the bufinefs, but no feyerity could reftrain these plunderers, though fome were hanged for tranfgreffing the law. It is honourable to the memory of Simon Iflip, Archbishop of Canterbury, that he wrote a book in Latin addreffed to Edward on the fubject, a tranfcript of which is now among the Harleian MSS. in the British Mufæum. Like an honeft confcientious man, he plainly tells the King, that he thinks his harbingers come not on behalf of God, but of the devil. 'I tell you,' fays he, before God, that if the people were certain that their goods would not be taken without their confent, they would bring all neceffaries to your gate. The curfed prerogative of taking for less than the value is damnable before God, is not held of right, is of no ftrength, being contrary to all laws, human and divine, and on this account many fouls are in hell. Edward III. is faid to have read the book with care, and to have paid attention to its honeft advice. Mr. Bray pursues the fubject through fucceeding reigns: it forms an amusing and a ufeful article. The total abolition of this enormity, he ob ferves, was one of the advantages derived from the troubles of the last century. For the particulars of the abufes here complained of, we muft refer to the book. No. 32. Remains of two Roman Villa, difcovered near Mans field Woadhouse in 1786. By Hayman Rooke Efq. This difcovery is the more obfervable as the ruins are in a part of Nottinghamshire, not in the vicinity of any Roman road or station. What led to the fearch was the fight of fome fmall ftone cubes, about an inch fquare, which the country poople called fairy pavements, faid to be found about a mile from the place above mentioned. Two Roman houfes were difcovered, one of which is called villa urbana, the other villa ruftica; the latter being an appendage to the former, or, we fuppofe, a farm-house, though it does not feem entirely to answer to fuch a name: a defcription (attended with plates) is given of the apartments, walls, floors, &c. The remnant of one pavement is large, very pretty, and ingeniously performed. Some coins have been collected, together with utenfils of different kinds, &c. of which we rather wonder the remains were not more numerous. Not very diftant are two fepulchres, which furnish farther matter for fpeculation, On the whole, Mr. Rooke concludes that this muft have been the villa of fome perion of great note. Governor Pownall communicates an account of Roman pottery, found at Sandy in Bedfordshire, and at Lincoln; together with a Roman Speculum. The earthen veffels, or rather fragments of veffels, dug up at each of these places, are very fimilar; they are of close pure clay, wrought to a perfect uniform pafte, and baked with with experienced art, with curious fpecimens of mouldings and ornaments: they are a kind of bafins, generally the furniture, it is fuppofed, of the baths, and ufed chiefly as unguentaria. Pottery of this fabric, and with these ornaments, are found in various parts of Europe. It was in vogue throughout the Roman empire: it was originally made at Samos, but was afterwards formed of the fame compofition, and after the fame patterns, at Rome. Near Sandy was alfo dug up, fome years ago, an urn, which, befide bones and ashes, is faid to have contained several articles of a lady's toilet. There yet remains a mirror, or fpeculum, which Mr. Pownall fends for the infpection of the Society. It is of a mixed metal, copper, filver, and iron, and has furprisingly preferved its polish after being buried fo many hundred years. The Governor is a little jocular on the fubject, when he observes, that the Roman ladies, as appears from paffages in ancient authors, from bufto's and coins, were as much devoted to the grand bufinefs of the toilet, as any of the fineft ladies of modern Europe; but he adds, with what juftice we will not determine, exceeding them infinitely in their tafte, ftudying to adorn and give a relieve to the beauties of nature, not to difguife her forms and deftroy her proportions. As fome kind of compenfation for this remark, he ados, from Martial, an inftance of a Virago knocking down her hair-dreffer with the mirror, becaufe one curl was not well pinned; an example, he fays, which modern ladies are incapable of giving. A defeription of a Druid temple lately discovered on the top of the bill near St. Hilary, in Jerfey,' is communicated by Mr. Molefworth. Of this we have a more particular account in the next article, written by H. Seymour Conway, Efq; Governor of Jerfey. This temple was entirely covered with earth till the fummer of 1785. There is no trace of the time when it was first concealed; probably, fays Mr. Conway, by the Druids themfelves, to preferve it from the violence of the Romans. The Origin of the Jews in England is the fubject of the next article. Its author is Mr. Caley. There is reafon to think that William I. allowed them a fettlement, not from any refpect or humanity to them, but because he had obferved them to be ufeful in commerce, and perhaps that he might occafionally extort their money. Whether any of them were here before the Conqueft, remains uncertain; yet the affirmative feems probable. This gentleman introduces feveral learned obfervations. We would juft afk whether the word fhetar, or fetar, on which he feems to decide as a rabbinical invention, is not to be found in the Hebrew Bible, Prov. vi. 7. Deut. i. 15. Exod. v. 6, &c. The laft article in this volume is, an hiftorical Account of the ancient Painting preferved at Cowdray, Suffex, the feat of Lord Viscount Montague, reprefenting the proceffion of King Ed ward ward VI. from the Tower of London to Westminster, Feb. 19, A. D. 1547, previous to his coronation. By John Topham, Efq. The Cowdray paintings have been already offered to public notice in the third volume of this work. The picture here confidered affords fome entertainment; befide the proceffion, it exhibits a view of the ftate of London and its buildings at that time, together with the prevail ng habits and fashions. We are now to take notice of the Appendix, being twenty-fix pages of extracts from fome communications which it has not been judged proper to publifh entire. Here we meet with rings, coins, bufts, infcriptions, &c. &c. briefly noticed. One of the laft is the ancient oaken ornamented cradle of the great and brave, but unfortunate, Charles Neville, the laft Earl of Weft-` moreland, who died in Queen Elizabeth's reign of this there is a print, as alfo of two pieces of red baked earth, found near Chertley abbey, the heads on which are said to be very like those in the ancient pedigrees of our kings and queens. This volume is illuftrated by 31 copper-plates. ART. VIII. Humanity, or the Rights of Nature. A Poem, in two Books. By the Author of SYMPATHY. 4to. 5s. fewed. Cadell. 1788. POT OETRY, it has been faid, "is not the tale of the age," and in this opinion we are frequently inclined to believe that there is fome truth, having been long convinced that it is not an age of poets. In the manufacturing of verfe, there was never perhaps a greater number employed than at prefent; but few indeed give evidence of writing under the genuine infpiration of the Mufes. Hence poetry has been finking into difrepute. The quantity of rhyming trash which in our time has iffued from the prefs, has not only difgufted the critic, but fo generally difappointed the poetical reader, as greatly to diminish the demand for publications under the name of poems. Thefe literary difhes are, for the moft part, fo wretchedly cooked, that few, in this faftidious age, are inclined to tafte them. Mr. Pratt, notwithflanding a circumftance in fome refpects difcouraging to the votaries of the Nine, has undertaken a large poetical work, of which the prefent performance (according to his preface) is only to be confidered as a general outline. Whether he has any hopes of hereby reviving the declining reputation of poetry, we cannot venture to fay; but if he has, they are furely not very fanguine, for we could not but obferve that he does not purpose to reft the acceptance of his future work [which is to be intitled, SOCIETY, or A PROSPECT OF MANKIND], folely on its merit as a poeti * See Review for Dec, 1775, P. 496-7. cal |