Preparing for Publication. An Historical and Topographical De scription of Great Yarmouth, in Norfolk, including the 16 parishes aud hamlets of the Half-hundred of Lothingland, in Suffolk. By Mr. J. H. DRUERY.

The History and Antiquities of Ecton, in the County of Northampton. By JOHN COLE.

A Quarterly Journal, entitled Oes Lyfr Cymreig, the Welsh Chronicle, and Archaeological and Bibliographical Journal, illustrative of the early history, antiquities, and bardism of Wales, and the Marches.

Vindiciae Christianæ, a comparative Estimate of the Genius and Tendency of the Greek, the Hindu, the Mahometan, and the Christian Religious. By the Rev. JEROME ALLEY.

The Remains and Memoirs of the late Rev. Charles Wolfe, Author of the Poem on the Burial of Sir John Moore. By the Rev. J. A. RUSSELL, M.A.

The Skeleton of Universal Elocution; or, a Metrical Epitome of Oratorical Pronunciation, scientifically adapted to the natural melody of all Languages. By the Rev. ALEXANDER MACGOWAN.

A complete Collection of Memoirs relating to the History of Great Britain, with Notes and Illustrations. By a Literary Society.

Papers and Collections of Sir Robert Wilmot, bart. some time Secretary to the Lord Lieutenants of Ireland.

Voyages of Discovery, undertaken to complete the survey of the Western coast of New Holland, between the years 1817 and 1822. By PHILIP PARKER KING, R. N. Commander of the Expedition.

Travels in the Hedjaz. By the late JOHN LEWIS BURCKHARDT.

Anne Boleyn, a Dramatic Poem. By the Rev. H. H. MILMAN. Uniformly with the Fall of Jerusalem.

The second volume of Dr. Southey's History of the late War in Spain and Portugal.

The Life of Erasmus, with Historical Remarks on the State of Literature between the 10th and 16th centuries. By CHARLES BUTLER.

The Life of General Wolfe, from original documents, uniform with Mr. Southey's Life of Nelson.

Excerpta Oratorica, or Selections from the Greek Orators, adapted to the use of Schools and Universities.

The Divina Commedia of Dante Alighieri, with an Analytical Comment. By GABRIEL ROSSETTI.

Delineations of the Origin and Progress of various Changes of Structure which oc cur in Man and some of the inferior Animals. By JOHN BARON, M.D.

A Digest of the Evidence taken before the Select Committees of the two Houses

[Dec.

The following subjects are proposed for the Chancellor's Prizes, for the ensuing year, viz.

For Latin Verse" Montes Pyrenæi."

For an English Essay-Is a rude, or a refined age, more favourable to the production of works of fiction?"

For a Latin Essay-"Quibus præcipuè de causis in artium liberalium studiis Romani Græcis vix pares, nedum superiores evaserint."

The first of the above subjects is intended for under graduates who have not exceeded four years from the time of their matriculation; and the other two for such members of the University as have exceeded four, but not completed seven years.

Sir Roger Newdigate's Prize.-For the best Composition in English verse, not containing either more or fewer than Fifty Lines, by any under graduate who has not exceeded four years from the time of his matriculation-Trajan's Pillar.

UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH.

Mr. Fellowes, of Ryegate, in Surrey, to whom the late learned Baron Maseres Bequeathed his fortune, has presented the University of Edinburgh with a donation of 2001. to be employed in enlarging the physical cabinet connected with Professor Leslie's class; the sum of 50l. annually, for two prizes to the more advanced pupils; and for the present year an additional sum of 751. to be given as prizes for the two best essays on comets, to candidates who had studied at this University. The conditions to be annexed to these trials of proficiency are not yet settled. For the present session, it is proposed to admit as competitors for the two prizes, all those who join the Natural Philosophy Class this season, and have attended it before within a period of five years. The prizes are to be awarded in March next-201, with a gold medal of the value of 101, for the best essay; 201 with a silver medal of the same size, for the next in merit. The 751. previously mentioned, will be expended in prizes for the best essays upon the subject given, and for which all those who have studied at Edinburgh University within the last ten years will be invited to contend.

ROYAL SOCIETY. ས8ན ་ཟླཝཱ

On the 30th of November, the Royal Society had their Anniversary Dinner at the Crown and Anchor Tavern. Amongst the company present were the Bishop of Carlisle, Mr. Secretary Peel, Mr. Bell (the re

548

distinguished station to which he had been raised; but he could assure them that no anxieties or attention would be wanting on his part to promote the interests of the Royal Society, and of science generally.

The healths of Mr. Feel, Mr. Davies Gilbert, Mr. Barlow, &c. &c. were afterwards given and received by the company present with cordiality and respectful attention. The several gentlemen complimented add.essed the company with great effect. The reply of Mr. Barlow was particularly well received.

ROYAL SOCIETY OF LITERATURE.

At the first meeting of the Society for the season, the Secretary read a paper by Dr. J. Jamieson, one of the Royal Associates, containing a collection of various superstitions relating to the Ternary Number. So general, among the ancients in the middle ages, and with the vulgar of times immediately connected with our own, was the ascription of a peculiar virtue to the number Three, that some reference to it was formerly mixed up with nearly all the actions and circumstances of human life. Dr. J. among many other instances, notices the influence of this superstition in the formation of camps and compounding of medicaments, in amorous incantations and funeral rites; and shews that the number of guests present, and of cups drunk or poured out in libations at entertainments; the number of sheep in a flock; of repetitions in forms of solemn invocations, &c. was religiously restricted to three, or the triplication of three; or that, at any rate, the odd number was observed. To the Triad was supposed to be long a mystical perfection, conveyed in auspicious influences to all affairs in which it was employed.-A series of memoirs relative to the introduction of Greek Literature into this country, and some unpublished annotations of Bentley, are among the papers in reserve for the ensuing readings,

HULL LITERARY AND PHILOSOPHICAL
SOCIETY.

The second meeting of this Society was held Nov. 18, when a paper was read on The Origin of the Americans. The object of Mr. Buckton was to prove that the American tibes originally proceeded from the NorthEast of Asia. He founded this. hypothesis chiefly on proofs derived from Physiology aud Languages. He shewed, from a number of independent authorities, that the varieties observable in the physiological characters of the American tribes, are so inconsiderable, that no reasonable doubt cau be entertained of their identity; and that the general character of the Americans strikingly indicates their close affinity to the Mongols, or to a mixture of the Mongols and Tartar races, of the North-East of Asia. After observing that the American languages possessed great variety of inflexions, and an intricate syntax, he concluded, that the

[Dec.

American tribes are the remnants of one or more nations, who had attained a considerable degree of civilization; and he introduced a number of proof. of the extensive cultivation of the arts in the new Continent. He produced comparative tables of American languages, and also of the Coptic, Japanese, Malay, Sanscrit, African, Basque, Celtic, and Caucasian, which he considered, however, too limited in the number of affinities to afford any satisfactory result. But he established the identity of the languages spoken by the Tshutshi in the North-Eastern extremity of Asia-by the inhabitants of the North-West coast of America and of the Aleutian islands-the Greenlandersand the Esquimaux. He also showed that striking affinities subsist between the languages of the Samoyedes, the Tongoose, the Yakutes, the Calmucs, the Mantchoos, the Ainos of the Curile Islands, the Ostiacks, and the Tatars and Mongols generally, and also those of the various tribes of Americafrom Norton Sound and Greenland, through Mexico, to Peru and Chili.-He then alluded to the traditions of the Americaa tribes, and to the Mexican histories; and concluded, that America was peopled from Asia, by wandering tribes of Mongol race, who passed thither by Behring's Straits, by the Aleutian Islands, and probably by some Northern course yet unknown to Europeans.-An interesting conversation ensued, in which the President, Mr. J. Crosse, Mr. E. Gibson, the Rev. W. S. Brown, Mr. W. H. Dikes, Mr. T. Dykes, and some other gentlemen, took a part.-Seventeen ordinary, three proprietary, and three honorary members, were admitted at this and the former meeting.—A curious knife, the handle of which was composed of ivory and steel, delicately inlaid with gold, and which was lately found in a well at Meaux Abbey, was deposited in the Museum; and the list of presents recently made, read to the meeting, was both extensive and gratifying.

There has been lately discovered at Caen, in Normandy, a collection of manuscripts of the celebrated Huet, Bishop of Avranches, together with a large autograph correspondence of the most celebrated characters, male and female, of the age of Louis XIV. In 1709, and twelve years before his death, this prelate is said to have written 20,000 letters on different literary questions. As his correspondents were the Bossuets, Fenelons, the Flechiers, the Bocharts, and other celebrated men, the La Fayettes, the Scu derys, the Daciers, Christina of Sweden, and other ladies distinguished for their talents and acquirements, the collection may be supposed to be very valuable. Among these manuscripts are said to be several letters written in Latin, by the Dauphin, who was the Bishop's pupil, together with an autograph manuscript of the same Prince in Latin and French.

On the Composition of ancient Earthen Vases, commonly called Etruscan. By Professor HANSMAN. Read before the Society of Gottingen.

(Continued from p. 167.)

1. Qualities of the Materials.-The vases described in the preceding section are formed of a fine clay, which is impregnated with iron, and consequently reddens more or less by the action of fire, but whose qualities differ in the different varieties of those vases.

The fine substance of the better sort of painted vases, is that of which the vases with a simple black coating, or those entirely black, are composed, the specific gravity being in proportion to the degree of fineness. The whole of these vases are indeed very light, but more especially the finest kinds; and in them also there is considerable difference with regard to this quality. The vases of Nola seem to exceed the rest in lightness; and by this general quality, in fact, the truly antique vases may readily be distinguished from all imitations of them.

Certain differences are also to be observed in the colour of the materials. In the more valuable kinds, it sometimes approaches to brick-red, but its most common tint is yellowish-red. In the coarser kinds the colour of the clay is usually paler than in those of finer texture.

I cannot, however, agree with those who are of opinion, that a red pigment has been added, in order to increase the intensity of the colour; for this reason, that the internal colour of the mass agrees perfectly with that usually observed in ferruginous clay that has undergone the process of roasting, and the fractured surface exhibits no inequalities in regard to colour.

In the finer vases there are no heteroge neous parts, nor is any admixture, as of sand, for example, observable. They have been manufactured either of clay in the natural state, if it had been pure, or carefully prepared by washing.

The colour of those vases which are decidedly black, has, without doubt, been produced by the admixture of some black substance, and not by the natural colour of the clay, or by the action of vapours. Upon accurate examination, yellowish particles, together with small black shining grains, are observed in the black mass; from which it may be supposed that the mixture has not always been perfectly equal. The celebrated Brocchi detected minute scales of mica in

Antiquités Gauloises et Romaines,

par C. M. Grivaud, 1807, p. 137.

the substance of the black vases found in the ancient sepulchres of Etruria *.

According to the chemical analysis of Vau→ quelin, a hundred parts of the mass of those vases usually called Etruscan, contain, Silica, 53; Alumina, 15; Lime 8; Oxide of Iron, 24 t. This quantity of iron, it may be remarked, is singular, and is probably not so great in the whole of these vases.

2. Conformation of these Vases-The vases commonly called Etruscan, seem, without exception, to have been moulded on the wheel; the invention of which is, without doubt, of the greatest antiquity, as has been ingeniously demonstrated by the investigations of my friend Rister §. "That the whole of these vases were in reality formed by the wheel, appear to be proved by the following considerations: 1. Because no other forms are seen in them but such as can be produced by the wheel; no vases of such a form as to present an oval in their transverse section, or exhiting other curves deviating from the circle, which could only be produced by moulds or other means. 2. Because traces of the wheel often occur, especially on the inner surface of the vases, as well as beneath, on the base, and in other parts not so carefully smoothed as the rest. 3. Because, on the other hand, no marks are ever observed, from which it might be inferred that these vases have been fabricated by a more complex and artificial method; for example, no seams, which it is difficult to avoid when moulds are used.

Vases are more or less accurately shaped. The finest kinds, turned with the greatest care, and ornamented with paintings, are exact in their dimensions, with thin walls, and a smooth surface, having no marks of the wheel; from which it may be conjectured, that, after the vases had been formed in the wheel, some processes had been adopted for smoothing the surface; perhaps not unlike those which are applied by our own potters to the same purpose.

It is unnecessary for us to enter in this place upon a full account of the particular forms given to these vases, as they have been described and delineated with sufficient accuracy in many works on the subject.

550

The variety is not less to be admired than the elegance of the forms, although in this respect also some differences are observed between the more exquisite vases and those of inferior quality, between the Grecian vases and those of Etruscan origin.

According to their forms, four principal classes of vases may be distinguished. 1. Vases properly so called. They differ greatly in size and proportion of parts. The mouth is either much greater than the diameter of the body, or is of the same size, or smaller. In this manner it is often furnished either with a lid, or with a cup or funnel-shaped process. The body is usually ovate, or approaching to this form, or bellshaped, or calyciform: of these principal forms there are, however, innumerable varieties. Vases occur either simple or furnished with handles, of which there are two, or three, or sometimes four, and these. are affixed to the lip, or body, or lower part of the vase. 2. Vases, commonly called Præfericula by the ancients, which are usually furnished with a single handle. 3. Vasa unguentaria, with a long narrow neck. 4. Pateræ, or Goblets, which have commonly

two handles.

There are certain parts in vases which have not been formed along with the body upon the wheel, but have been made sepa rately, and afterwards joined to the body. Of this kind are, 1. the handles, with which vases and goblets are frequently furnished; 2. a prismatic base instead of the round one. This, however, is of a very rare occur rence in vases: I have seen an instance of it in a vase of a Grecian origin, in the Royal Collection at Naples. In these parts, I have found no indication of their having been formed in moulds; they seem, without exception, to have been made by the hand and instruments.

To the plastic ornaments not prepared upon the wheel, belongs the raised work, which is sometimes, though rarely, seen in the principal part of vases, and more commonly on the handles. Some black Etruscan vases, preserved in the public collection at Florence, are furnished with raised ornaments on the principal part or body. Two large vases, of elegant form, are encircled by vine tendrils. Others of them have raised figures of animals. Some again, with a narrow neck, are terminated by vineleaves. In others there are rounded raised

ines, which rise from the bottom to the bulging part of the body, or descend to it from the neck. The handles are orna mented in this way, not only in the black Etruscan vases, but also in the painted oves of Grecian origin. They are often termi-, nated by heads or entire figures, beauti fully imitated, or are made to assume the form of twisted serpents, or are marked with depressed or raised lines.

It is a question whether these ornaments have been made by means of moulds or simply by the hand. From the inquiries which I have made in regard to this matter, I am inclined to think, that all those plastic ornaments have been formed with the hand, by means of simple instruments, and not by moulds, as is now practised. 1. Because no marks of moulds, no seams for example, are to be observed; 2. Because small differences are commonly found in ornaments of the same kind: the heads or figures of handles, for example, in the same vase, differ a little; the excavated or rounded lines in the same part, have not always the same dimensions. In the later pottery work of Roman origin, on the contrary, the use of moulds may commonly be observed *.

Impressed ornaments also sometimes occur, especially in the black Etruscan vases. They consist either of impressed. lines or dots. Ornaments of this description may easily be formed by instruments" similar to those which are used in making seals. The differences, however, often conspicuous in those ornaments in the same vase, appear to me to prove that they have not been made in this way, but by means of a hard stilus. In one part of the orna ments, for example, the number of dots is greater than in another, or the dots in one row are a little nearer than in another. I have remarked the same of the letters which are sometimes seen on Grecian vases. Upon examining them, it clearly appears that they have not been inscribed by instruments similar to those used in cutting our seals, but only by means of the style. Among the Romans, in later times, stamps, or seals with elevated letters, or on coins, were very frequently impressed upon earthen-ware, such as bricks, vases, and lamps.

4. Baking of Vases.-The whole of the vases of which we speak are baked, but in different degrees, never more, and generally less, than our best pottery ware According to the opinion of the celebrated Chaptal, which agrees with the above, the beat applied for baking may be estimated at seven or eight degrees of Wedgworth's pyrometert. We never find the argilaceous mass

* Grivaud, Antiquités Gaul. et Rom. p.