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graved with quatrefoil flowers, and patterns resembling traceried windows. On its base, which is hexagonal, are engravings of Christ on the cross, Saint Jerome, Saint Margaret,

and three other saints.

The salt was evidently made for Bishop Fox, as his device of the pelican is repeated in all its parts. Its form is somewhat like an hour-glass, the base, bowl, and cover each presenting six slanting sides, which are all chased in relief upon a blue enamelled background. The central knob is similarly ornamented, but with a green background, the design of Christ crowning the church being repeated in it several times, its compartments being divided at the angles by rampant lions in high

relief.

At TRINITY COLLEGE is a very beautiful chalice of the 15th century, which was brought by the founder, Sir Thomas Pope, from St. Alban's abbey. The knob exactly resembles in its ornaments that of the chalice at Corpus Christi college before described; but the remainder of the design is much more elaborate, as may be seen by comparing the two in the plate of Mr. Shaw, where they are engraved together. Round the cup and the base is the same inscription, "Calicem salutis capiam et nomen Domini invocabo."†

At QUEEN'S COLLEGE the most remarkable article is a drinking-horn, of which we extract the annexed engraving from Skelton's Oxonia. It has also been engraved by Mr. Shaw, in whose work it suggested the following remarks to the Editor, Sir Samuel R. Meyrick:

"Horns were greatly in fashion among our ancestors. They were of four kindsthose for drinking only, those appropriated to the chace, those used for summoning the people, and those for various purposes, and consequently of a mixed character. There is one preserved at Corpus Christi college, Cambridge, presented about the year 1347 by its founder John Goldcorne, alderman of the gild of Corpus

Christi, which seeems to have been intended both for drinking and sounding. Queen's college was founded in 1340 by Robert Egglesfield, confessor to queen

Philippa; and, as tradition states this horn to have been her Majesty's present, it may account for the singular custom, that, according to the statutes he framed, the society was to be called together by the sound of a horn. The trumpet which is now used for that purpose is not older than the time of Charles the First, which is also the earliest date that can be assigned to the eagle which now forms the cap of the horn. It may therefore be allowable to conjecture that this horn, which is of the buffalo, may have been originally employed for summoning the society, and that such order in the statutes was a compliment to the royal donor. Of course for this purpose the stopper was

removed and a mouth-piece inserted in its place.

"That it was also intended for a drink

ing horn the word waccept on the silver gilt bands which encircle it, and the style of which mark the period of Edward the Third, as well as its traditional name poculum caritatis, sufficiently evince. It is thus used on the founder's day and on all occasions of rejoicing."

Whether Sir S. R. Meyrick was right in his suggestion that this horn

was

ever the summoning horn of Queen's College we are unable to decide: but even the silver trumpet which was formerly used for that purpose is now a relic of the days that are past, and the trumpet which is now in use is one of inferior metal. At Queen's College were also exhibited a communion service presented by the Provost in 1637, and various old cups and tankards.

One of

At NEW COLLEGE a very splendid exhibition was made, consisting of several elaborate silver-gilt cups, others of cocoa-nut mounted with silver, and other articles, of which we regret we cannot give a better account. the finest pieces is a Salt-cellar given by Walter Hil, warden of the college in 1493. It is of silver-gilt, with open work in its cover backed by blue enamel. There is nothing very elegant in its contour, which consists of a twisted stem between a circular bowl and base; but the various bands of ornament are beautiful, and exquisitely chased. The lid is spiral, and ornamented with crockets, which are based

+ We conjecture that this is the inscription, seeing only the first and last words in the engraving: but we may observe that Mr. Shaw generally fails to give his friends a proper account of such parts of his subjects as are not shown by his drawings.

by little castellets. The whole height is 14 inches. At the foot of the stem is an inscription containing the name of the donor, and a Latin motto. There is an engraving of this salt made in 1833 by Mr. Henry Shaw in his Specimens of Ancient Furniture.

The silver seal of this college was also shewn, engraved very admirably in the time of the founder, Bishop Wykeham.

At ORIEL COLLEGE is preserved the vessel, whatever may have been its use, which is represented in our second engraving. It is of silver gilt, and 7 inches in length to the bottom of the cross; its width at the base is 3 inc. and its greatest width at the top is 5 inc. The ball and cross with which it is surmounted appear to be modern additions. The crowned E on this cup has been connected with the name of King Edward the Second, one of the founders of Oriel College; but Sir Samuel Meyrick, in Shaw's Ancient Furniture, states his opinion that the ornaments are of a style not earlier than the middle of the fifteenth century, and quotes the judgment of William Twopeny, esq. to the same effect. He then proceeds to suggest that the initial may refer to Prince Edward, the son of King Henry the Sixth, which he proposes as reconcileable

with the appearance of what he considers to be the Lancastrian collar of esses. But the chain of linked esses here engraved does not really resemble the English collar of esses, in which the letters are always ranged in a parallel line. It corresponds to that attributed to the order of Cyprus, founded by the family of Lusignan; to which, or some other foreign order, it may have alluded.* It is therefore possible that this cup is not of English workmanship.

At this college are also a cocoa-nut cup, set in silver-gilt, presented by Bishop Carpenter, the provost, in 1470, and a stand for the same, made of part of a gourd, and set to correspond with the cup. These are engraved in Skelton's Oxonia, plate 37.

We must not conclude this hasty enumeration of the ancient collegiate treasures of Oxford, without some allusion to the magnificent crosiers of Wykeham and Fox, which are preserved by their foundations of New College and Corpus Christi. The former is engraved in Skelton's Oxonia, plate 45, and the latter by Shaw, in his Ancient Furniture, plate 71. Both are in the most perfect state of preservation, and must be classed among the finest existing specimens of medieval art in the precious metals.

NOTES, CORRESPONDENCE, AND LITERATURE OF THE MONTH.

Library Catalogue of the British Museum-Literature of the past Month-Relics excavated at Nineveh-New General Record Office-New Collar and Badge of the Mayor of Bath-The Koh-i-Noor diamond.

An interesting debate or rather conversation took place in the House of Commons on the 1st July on a proposition for a grant for new buildings at THE BRITISH MUSEUM. It embraced several topics of public interest, and amongst others, the Catalogue. We will give the report of what took place on that subject as it appears in the Times.

"Sir H. Verney strongly urged the completion of a new finding catalogue.

"Mr. Hume said that if they waited for the catalogue of Mr. Panizzi he supposed they might wait until 1895 for its completion. (A laugh.)

"Mr. F. Maule, in justice to Mr. Panizzi, must say that making a catalogue of such a library as that of the British Museum was one of the most difficult things possible, and that no man was better adapted to the task than Mr. Panizzi. (Hear, hear.) There was, indeed,

* See the references contained in Mr. J. G. Nichols's remarks on the origin of the Collar of Esses, in the Gentleman's Magazine for May 1842, p. 481.

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no person to whom the British public were so much indebted, in this library, as to that gentleman.

"Sir R. Inglis was most anxious to have the best catalogue at a given period.

"Sir D. Dundas said no man in England could perform the duty in question better than Mr. Panizzi. They might have a finding catalogue, and a very convenient thing it might be (hear, hear); but, if they wanted the work well done, and to have a catalogue for all ages, it would not be unreasonable if it were not finished before 1895.

"Mr. Wyld complained that persons could not get the books they wanted. There were 40,000 new volumes still not catalogued. Four or five clerks at small salaries would keep the books properly catalogued every year."

On a subsequent occasion when the estimates for the maintenance of the Museum were moved the subject was resumed, and Sir George Grey is reported to have said, after some plain-spoken comments of Mr. Hume, that the report of the Commissioners was under the consideration of the government, but that he had been too busy to give attention to it; an excuse quite consistent with the conduct of all governments in reference to a merely literary question.

We quote these extracts in order that literary men may know exactly how the catalogue question now stands. It appears that, for the present, Mr. Panizzi and his catalogue are allowed to proceed, it being the opinion of Mr. Hume, one of the Royal Commissioners, that we may have to wait for it until 1895, and the opinion of Sir David Dundas that it will not be unreasonable if we do wait until 1895 for "a catalogue for all ages.'

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With all respect for Sir David Dundas, we must be allowed to say that if he termed Mr. Panizzi's catalogue "a catalogue for all ages," neither he nor any other man ever uttered a more egregious piece of nonsense. How can that be a "catalogue for all ages which, if ever completed, will represent the state of the British Museum library, not as it exists at this time, nor as we hope it may exist in the year 1895, but as it existed "at the close of the year 1838." (Preface to Mr. Panizzi's Catalogue A.) If now published it would be incomplete and obsolete. It would not include 100,000 volumes which have been added to the library since 1838; and yet when it comes forth in 1895 it is to be a catalogue for all ages. If published to-day, another catalogue would have to be set about immediately in order to make the Panizzi catalogue useful. The trustees and the com

missioners have actually given up the notion of having this catalogue printed, because, whenever finished, it must be very many years in arrear of the actual condition of the library. And yet this is to be a catalogue for all ages!

But the most important part of this conversation is the glimpse which it gives us as to the lapse of time which it is thought probable may ensue before this catalogue is completed. It is clear that the idea of its ever being completed is all but abandoned; 1895 is quoted by trustees and royal commissioners, but 1895 means "never." Eleven years have been thrown away; many thousands of pounds have been expended; innumerable slips have been prepared and thrown into a variety of fantastic arrangements; during that period Mr. Panizzi has been allowed to bewilder and dazzle himself and all the world; and now if literary men will but bestir themselves the absurd and preposterous scheme will fall to pieces and disappear. It is breaking down by its own weight. The government, unable to defend it, only need a little " pressure from without" to dismiss it to the same tomb which enshrouds the Record Commission and other similar devices. We appeal then to literary men of all classes and pretensions to urge and re-urge the demand for a concise printed catalogue, which shall represent the present state of the library and make it known all over the empire. Economy, the brevity and uncertainty of life, the great help which such a catalogue will be to public education, the right which the men of the present age have to know what books are in the national library, partly formed and altogether maintained at their own expense-these and many other considerations should urge literary men to unite for an exertion which must succeed, and the more easily if made

at once.

The LITERATURE OF THE PAST MONTH has not been particularly attractive, and much of it has not been of a kind to solicit any very lengthened notice from us. Amongst such books we have received an interesting volume of Sermons by the Poet Crabbe, published in aid of a subscription for the erection of a Church and Schools at Trowbridge, of which Crabbe was Rector for 18 years. We hope the object will be answered; a contribution to such a purpose will be, as the editor justly remarks," a noble memorial to the name of Crabbe." The volume contains 21

* Posthumous Sermons by the Rev. George Crabbe, LL.B. Edited by John D. Hastings, A.M. Rector of Trowbridge. Hatchard. 8vo.

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