land, after the punctual performance, on his part, at great trouble and expense, of the conditions of his liberation, which had been named by Henry himself. He states, that he did not recover his liberty until after the King's decease-nor then, without the payment of a ransom of 10,000 crowns, besides the fulfilment of the original conditions. Read April 4th, 1827.

SOCIETY OF ARTS.

June 4. The ceremony of the distribution of premiums by his Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, adjudged by the Society of Arts, Manufactures, &c. took place at the King's Theatre, and attracted an immense concourse of spectators. Among the honorary candidates, C. C. Western, Esq. M. P. obtained a gold medal for his long Anglo-merino wool. One of the most interesting of the models exhibited was the very ingenious invention of Mr. Paine, for lighting the clocks of churches. Paine explained to the company the principle by which the ingenious operation of displaying and extinguishing the light is performed at any given hours. The clock of St. Giles's church is at present illuminated on Mr. Paine's principle. Mr. Paine obtained for his performance a silver medal.

Medals were awarded to 98 candidates.

LITERARY PROPERTY.

Mr.

A short time since, Lord Palmerston

moved for a return of the number of literary works and books of prints, entered at Stationers'-hall in each year previous to the 1st March, 1709; and also of those entered

in each year from the 1st March, 1709, to the 31st of December, 1826, inclusive. There are no books in existence by which it can be ascertained what number of works was entered previously to 1709; but a return has been made of the

number entered from that period up to the end of 1826. This document is interesting in showing the vast increase of publications within the last few years. The number of works entered at Stationers'-hall in 1709 was 87. In the three next years the number was somewhat above 100; but from that period down to 1766 the average yearly number was not 50. From that time the number went on slowly increasing till towards the close of the last century, when, perhaps owing to the great political excitement and the spirit of inquiry which prevailed, the number of works entered yearly augmented some hundreds. At the commencement of the present century the number of publications seemed to have decreased, and the yearly average continued to about 300 down to 1814, when it amounted to 541. In the next year (owing to Lord Ellenborough's new and strange confirmation of the Copyright Act) the number was more than doubled, it being 1,244. From that GENT. MAG. Suppl. XCVII. PART I.

G

period to 1826 (when there were 1,181 books entered) the number has never been under 1000. The lowest number ever entered was 17 (in 1782 and 1734), and the highest 1,454 (in 1822). Music forms an item in the above account, but no books containing prints only, or single prints, have been entered at Stationers'-hall.

MR. WESTMACOTT'S PICTURES.

June 23. The cabinet collection of C. M. Westmacott, Esq., was brought to the hammer, by Mr. Phillips. A fine portrait of David Garrick," by Sir Joshua Reynolds, painted in the very best style of that artist, excited much interest: it was knocked down at 12 guineas. "A Madonna and Child," by Luini, brought 20 guineas. “A Flemish party regaling," by Molinaar, 10 guinens.

"The Sacrifice to Silenus," a fine specimen of Coypel, splendidly coloured, 20 guineas. Landscape," by Berghem,

11l. Os. 6d.

"The Annunciation of the

Virgin," a chef d'œuvre of Guido, a grand gallery picture, formerly in the collection of the Duchess of Alva, 100 guineas. "The Death of the Virgin," by the same artist and from the same collection, 45 guineas. "Embarkation on the Rhine," a fine highly finished picture by Battams, 80 guineas.

A Bacchanalian Procession," by Francis Wouters, 20 guineas. "A Portrait of Milton at the age of 45," by R. Walker, Bread-street, Cheapside, where Milton was stated to have come out of the house in born, put up at 10s. 6d.; and was knocked down at only 65s. "The Personification of St. Barbe and St. Catharine," an elabo

St.

rately finished and richly coloured picture by Van Eyck, sold for 191. 8s. 6d. Mark studying the Scriptures," by Spagnoletti, 10 guineas. "A Portrait of Vandyke, with a Sunflower," painted by Vandyke himself, 21 guineas.

SALE OF FUSELI's Pictures and Sketches.

Mr. Christie disposed of the finished and unfinished works of this eminent artist, whose fame is indelibly identified with the genius and works of Milton, at his rooms May 28. The lots were 97: among which were 23 of the original paintings of the Milton gallery, and designs from Homer, Hesiod, Shakspeare, Dante, and a few historical compositions. The prices they brought were in general good. A picture of Silence," from Milton's Il Penseroso,' sold for 102 guineas. A large oil painting of the "Deluge, and the last surviving Pair," was knocked down for 39 guineas: "Eriphyle slain by her son, who is pursued by the Furies," the colouring so vivid that it seems touched by a pencil of light, 50 guineas; "A Vision of Sea Nymphs," 51 guineas; "Dante, in his descent to Hell, discovering amidst the flight of hapless lovers, whirled about in a hurricane, the forms of Paolo and Francisco of Rimini,"

canto 5, 66 guineas; the "Birth of Sin, springing from the hand of Satan," 20 gs.; the "Meeting of Hero and Leander," 13 guineas;" "Love in the Garden," 16 gs.; "Hercules assaulting Pluto," 31 guineas: "Venus reclining, and her Son, the prince of gods and men, winding thread," 26 gs. ; "Satan bursting from Chaos," 10 guineas; and "Perseus starting from the Cave of the Gorgons," 36 guineas.

SALE OF THE DUKE OF BEDFORD'S PICTURES. June 30. A select assemblage of 44, chiefly highly finished, Flemish and Dutch cabinet pictures, the property of the Duke of Bedford, and removed to town from his Grace's mansion, Woburn Abbey, were sold by Mr. Christie, who stated that his Grace's reason for disposing of these pictures was to make room in his mansion for works by living Artists. Among the Duke's collection were specimens of Teniers, Schidone, Cuyp, Salvator Rosa, Hans Holbein, Both, Rubens, Titian, the Poussins, Claude, Rembrandt, and Ruysdael. "A Landscape," by Cuyp, describing an extensive scene, interspersed with villages, which was so much admired in the collection of M. Rigby; Cuyp has represented himself drawing this delightful scene; it brought 570 guineas. Burgomaster and his Family going out Hawking," by Paul Potter, sold for 400 guineas. "An Evening Landscape, with a Group of Peasants," by J. Both, 159 gs. "A Brown Horse in a Stable," by A. Cuyp, 70 guineas. Two pictures, companions, of rocky scenery and a woody_solitude, with figures in each, by Salvator Rosa, 96 guineas. "A Portrait of Sir Thomas More, invested with the Collar of the Garter," by Holbein. Upon a pedestal is inscribed the date, MDXXVII.: this sold for

"A

70 guineas. "The interior of a Dutch Kitchen," by Von Stavaren, 36 guineas. A small" Holy Family, with the infant Christ instructing St. John in the Scriptures," by Schidone, 35 guineas; and "A Woman fondling her Child," by D. Teniers, 15 guineas.

SALE OF HEBREW, ARABIC, PERSIC, AND

It

TURKISH MANUSCRIPTS, &c. A curious and interesting collection of Hebrew, Arabic, Persic, and Turkish books (printed and manuscript) was lately brought to sale by Mr. Evans, of Pall-mall. contained Hebrew manuscripts of the Pentateuch and Bible; a fine manuscript of the "Passover Service," in Hebrew; several missals, and a variety of Hebrew books, including the Codex Talmudicus Babylonicus Hebraice," (a fine copy, printed at Amsterdam in 1727) and the Raph Alphos," by the learned Rabbi Isaac Elphys; also a manuscript copy of "The Arabian Nights Entertainments," in Arabic; and the celebrated Bedouin Romance, called "An

66

tar," in 36 volumes. Among the theological works in this collection was a manuscript treatise of Bishop Pocock, entitled, "Ye Reule of Christian Religion," very fairly and legibly written upon vellum, containing 192 leaves. It was conjectured by Lewis, in his "Life of the Bishop," to have been written in the year 1457; but from a phrase in the body of the mauuscript (supposed to bare been in the bishop's own hand-writing) it appears to have been written in 1443; the bishop (one of the earliest of the English reformers, who denied the infallibility of the church,) leaves out the declaration of "Christ's Descent into Hell." This curious work was purchased at ten guineas by Mr. Thorpe, the bookseller, who gave 644 Is. for "Biblia Sacra Hebraicè," a fine manuscript of the 12th century, written upon vellum, in a large bold square character, in three cowhole of the books of the Old Testament, lumns on each page; containing, besides the the Masorah, and enriched with very curious cabalistical illuminations. It was written

by the celebrated Spanish Rabbi, David Kimchi, of whom particular mention is made in the "Bibliotheca Sussexiana." Mr. Thorpe also gave 104. 10s. for "Pentateechus Hebraice," an ancient manuscript roli,

written on African skins in a fine bold square character, without points or marginal notes, consisting of 220 columns, 42 lines in each column, measuring 60 feet in length, and three feet in width. Another transcript of the "Hebrew Pentateuch," upon vellum, written in very small characters-a fine specimen of Hebrew calligraphy, ou a roll, consisting of 248 columns, 42 lines in a column, sold for 91. 14s. The "Passover Service," in Hebrew, with the commentaries of Abarbanell, a moderu manuscript, beautifully written upon vellum, containing 112 pages, each page encircled by a border of gold, ornamented with numerous illsPettigrew. "Historia Estheræ et Ahasueminations, 101. 10s.; purchased by Mr. ri," a manuscript upon vellum, sold for 1. 10s. A "Magella," or History of Esther, in Hebrew, a roll manuscript, upon parchment, 11. 3s. "Codex Talmudicus Babylonicus Hebraicè,” 14 vols. folio in the original binding, 71. "Ralph Alphos, as elucidation of the entire Babylonian Talmud, 3 vols. in Hebrew, 51. 5s.; purchased by Mr. Pettigrew. "Lechem Misneh Hebraice in folio, printed at Amsterdam in 1632, 11. 8s. "Shadath Sitzchock, or the Binding of Isaac," a commentary on the Pentateuch, in Hebrew, by Isaac Ormo, printed at Vienna in 1562, one guinea. “Antar," the celebrated Bedouin romance, in 36 vols. (damaged), 51. A manuscript copy of the "Arabian Nights' Entertainments," in Arabic, 12s. "Moullakat, or the Golden Poems suspended in the Temple of Mecca," in Arabic, two guineas. "Wancoloo,” an

Arabic and Turkish Dictionary, 2 vols. in folio, printed at Constantinople, 3l. 10s. "Persian Tales," a large folio volume 21. 13s. "Burhari Cate," a Persian and Turkish Dictionary, in folio, 24. 175. "Camoos, or the Ocean,' an Arabic Dictionary, translated into Turkish, 3 vols. folio, 41. 58. "Lekdji," a Turkish Dictionary printed at Constantinople, 2l. 15s. “Atlas Turcicus," a Turkish Atlas, with historical and geographical descriptions, in the Turkish language, 21. Five lots, comprising all the Histories of the Turkish empire hitherto published, and printed at Constantinople, 71. 15. "Tadj Mewareekh," a celebrated Turkish history, in the Turkish language (manuscript) 19s. A manuscript of the Turkish romances and stories, in the Turkish language, 2 vols. one guinea. "Story of the Forty Viziers" (the original of the Turkish Tales), a manuscript, in the Turkish language, 15s.

COLLECTION OF AUTOGRAPHS.

April 27. In a sale, by Mr.Southgate, of a collection belonging to Capt. M. Sherwill, were some very interesting autographs, and original letters. An autograph of James, the Pretender, was sold for 31. 10s.; an original letter from Oliver Cromwell to his daughter Bridget (Lady Ireton), of the date of Oct. 25, 1646, produced 51. 15s. 6d. ; a letter in the hand-writing of James II. to his son, dated from Windsor, July 18,1687, brought 31. 8s.; an original letter from Mary, the mother of Mary, Queen of Scots, to George, Prince of Denmark, 31. 15s.; a sheet, from the copy-book of his present Majesty, when Prince of Wales, in the 13th year of his age, signed "George P.," June 2, 1775, 41. 14s. 6d. Great competition was excited for this. Autographs of Wm. Pitt, Charles J. Fox, Lord Grey, &c. 21. 5s. ; a ticket for the funeral of William Pitt, signed. Heard, Garter," 11. 11s. 6d. ; an original letter of Algernon Sydney, dated Frankfort, Sept. 8, 1660, addressed to his father, the Earl of Leicester, on the subject of a legacy of 5001. left to him by his mother, 31. 17s. 6d. ; an autograph of Sir P. Sidney, of the date of 1574, 21. 15s.; an original letter from Gen. Washington to Robert Carey and Co., merchants, in London, dated Williamsburgh, June 1, 1774, &

ANTIQUARIAN

SOCIETY OF SCOTTISH ANTIQUARIES, At the last meeting of this Society for the session, various donations were presented to the Society, and, among others, 1. A. very curious relic, in the highest preservation, presumed to have been a Peruvian lady's work-basket, with its contents, which were found under a cairn of stones, on the shore of Peru, buried in fine sand; which

few months only before his appointment to the command of the American armies, in which he states, that the general failure of his wheat crops had prevented his remitting the account due. This was knocked down at 51. 15s. 6d., after much competition.

DRAWING INSTRUMENT.

Professor Schilling, of Breslau, has invented an instrument, by the aid of which plants can be copied most correctly from nature, even those which are so small as to be examined by naturalists through the microscope. This instrument is similar in its construction to a magic lantern; and by the means of an attached mirror, the image of the magnified object is thrown upon a horizontal paper surface, where it admits of being copied easy and accurately.

RAPID CONVEYANCE.

His Majesty's Letters Patent (says the Brighton journal) have been granted for the Invention of Machinery for the rapid conveyance of Goods and Passengers by Air, with calculations and remarks, tending to prove the practicability, effects, and advantages of a plan for rapid conveyance of goods and passengers upon an Iron Road through a tube of thirty feet in area, by the power and velocity of air, by G. Medhurst, Inventor and Patentee, Denmark-street, Soho, London. By this mode of conveyance, it is said, passengers may be conveyed to a great distance through the country, with ease and great safety, at the rate of a mile in a minute, or 50 miles per hour upon an average, and at the expense of one farthing per mile.-All kinds of portable goods may be conveyed with the same velocity, at the expence of one penny per ton per mile.-The conveyance cannot be obstructed by frost, snow, floods, or drought, nor endangered by robbery, by darkness, or the weather.-No lock or other obstructions will be required in the passage, for the force of the impelling air will be sufficient to gain an ascent of 100 feet in a mile continually.-Artillery, troops, baggage, and stores, may be conveyed with the same rapidity, safety, certainty, and expense, and live cattle will be enabled to pass through the country without labour, and at a very small expense for carriage or food.

RESEARCHES.

was supposed to be the sepulchre of a native family of distinction at an early period. By Captain John Ferguson, R. N.-2. One of the cutting presses used in forming the silver into its proper shape, previous to its being stamped, which belonged to the old Mint of Scotland; and the engine used in virring the edges of the silver coin in the same mint. By Mr. Alex. Deuchar, seal

engraver to his Majesty in Scotland.-3. A very perfect reddish brown earthen vase, eleven and a half inches high; diameter at top, outside, ten inches, and at bottom three and a half inches-found, with several others, near the Dean by Stockbridge, Edinburgh, in 1824. It is nearly full of human bones and mould, as when discovered; and contains also a curious bone, or instrument made from bone, at present undescribed. By Mr. Auriol Drummoud Hay.-Mr. Hay notified at the same time that he had been prevented by illness alone, from preparing for presentation that night, with a slight description of each, and some account of the several circumstances of their discovery, about thirty more ancient vases, which he had collected in France and England, during several years past. The thanks of the Society were voted to the respective donors; after which the following papers were read: -1. Notice of a singular and apparently very ancient coin, found in the Castle-hill of Dundee, in 1802, with a sketch of the history of the fortress which once occupied that eminence. By Richard Huie, Esq. M.D. F.S.S.A. who presented the coin to the Society.-2. Mr. Waring Hay, F.S.S.A. exhibited to the Society passports from General Monk, Charles II. and the Duke of Lauderdale, to the Newtons, of Newton; and an order issued by the Highland army in 1745, for horses, arms, &c. from several gentlemen's seats in East Lothian. And at the same time Mr. W. H. exhibited two

ancient finger rings of silver. The Baron Clerk Rattray, after the reading of the passports, mentioned a curious anecdote in relation to General Monk's proposed removal from the chief command in this country by Oliver Cromwell; and Sir John Buchan Hepburn, after the reading of Mr. Hay's interesting paper on the proceedings of the Highland army in 1745, related some circumstances in the civil warfare of the same period, in which his own ancestors played a conspicuous part.-3. Private anecdote of King James VI. while entertained at Lincluden Abbey, on a progress by Dumfries; communicated by James Grierson, of Dal

goner, esq.

SALE OF ANCIENT ARMOUR AND ARMS FROM GERMANY.

June 21. A very interesting collection of ancient armour and arms, from the castles of Staremberg, in Bavaria, and Ambrose, in Tyrol, was sold at Messrs. Brookes's, in Bond-street. It comprised thirteen complete suits of armour used by the chivalry of Europe and Asia, from the twelfth to the sixteenth centuries; also two suits of cru

sader's chain mail, and a coat of oriental chain mail. The principal purchasers were the Earl of Meath, Dr. Meyrick, Mr. Leslie, Mr. Utterson, and Mr. Riviere. The Earl

armour. His Lordship gave 13 guineas fur a suit of fluted and engraved polished steel armour, of the time of Henry VIII.; 4L 185, for a suit of Halecret French armour of the same time; and 5L for a suit of polished steel armour of the time of Queen Eliza beth. A suit of steel armour, of the time of Henry VII. was sold for 31. 178. Four other suits of polished steel armour, of the time of Henry VIII (some of them engrav ed and fluted) were sold for 121 17 51. 7s. 6d, 31. 10s., and 31. 2s. each. A suit of Pikeman's armour of the time of James I. was purchased at 34. by the Earl of Meath, who also gave three guineus for a suit of Cavalier's armour of the time of Charles I. A curious suit of polished steel armour for a lady, was sold at 31. 55. A curious Asiatic suit of chain mail and scale armour, gilt and inlaid with oriental charac ters, brought seven guineas. Another suit of chain mail, used by the crusaders, knocked down at two guineas. There were a great variety of lances, halberds, battleaxes, and other weapons of war, besides many articles of great curiosity and interest. Several cross-bows, called latches, with moulinets and goat's foot levers, &c. sold at various sums from one guinea to 81. 35. Two prod cross-bows, used for shooting bullets, sold at 11. 5s. each. Among riety of swords were three two-handed ones, used by the German infantry in the time of Henry VIII. These were sold in separate lots, at 41. 10s. A very large two-handed sword of state was purchased by Mr. Leslie at 31. 12s. 6d. A two-handed flaming sword of the time of Henry VIII. sold at 14. 12%. Five steel morrions sold in Ints, at St. B An halberd of the time of Edward IV. sold for one guinea. Another, engraved with the Bavarian arms, 14. 12s. A Turkish matchlock gun, inlaid with silver and gold, 11. 10s. A German matchlock wall-piece, 11. A curious ancient German lock, 2. An engraved steel chanfron, 11. 14. A tournament saddle, 17. 35. A Spanish coteau de chasse, 11. 10s. A curious ironbound and spiked flail, used in 1550, in an insurrection of the country people in Fran conia, headed by Goetz Von Berlechingen, with the iron hand, 11s. A fowling-piece, with silver mountings, formerly the pr mythological group, four feet nine inches in perty of Buonaparte, 301. 9s. A fine bronze height, forming a fountain (supported upon a pedestal), 421. This lot was understood to be from a Ducal collection in Germany.

silver keys, &c. the property of the late A pair of bagpipes, composed of ivory, with King of Bavaria, sold for 11. 165. A representing a fury, 16s. A Vizier and Italian marriage knife, the handle embossed, Spanish horseman, 15s.

POMPEII.

On the 5th of June, the King and Queen

went to visit Pompeii. The excavation that was made in presence of these august personages was one of the most successful ever remembered, on account of the abundance and quality of the objects discovered. The spot chosen for the operation was a mansion in which there had previously been discovered a very beautiful fountain in Mosaic, bordered with shell work, and nearly similar to another that had been discovered in a contiguous house. From the midst of the basin rose a small column of marble, on which was placed a genius of bronze, holding in his left hand a bird, with its wings expanded, from the beak of which the water issued, and then fell back into the basin. A theatrical mask, also of marble, embedded in the bottom of the nich, poured forth in its turn another stream of water. Before one of the feet of the fountain was a little bronze statute, in a sitting posture, with a basket in the left hand, and a cap on its head. It apparently represented a Phrygian shepherd, clothed in a short tunic, but had evidently no connexion with the spot where it was found. On the marble pedestal there was a beautiful piece of sculpture, representing a child, half naked, lying asleep, grasping in one of its hands a little basket; and on one side of it a vase overturned; its clothes were of a very peculiar make. Before the other foot of the fountain was a kind of marble Caryatides. The partitions were ornamented with very elegant paintings, which appear, to judge from the symbolical accessaries, to represent the birth of Bacchus. In the hall was a stove, with its trivet, of rusty iron, surmounted by some fragments of bronze vases. In the two chambers situate on the sides of the hall, was discovered a great number of other interesting objects, the principal of which were two strong bracelets of gold, a small silver coin, a number of elegant bronze vases, and a very beautiful candelabrum of the same material. The King gave orders on the spot, that the fountain should be restored to the same state in which it had been found; that the whole of the shellwork, which had been detached from the border, and had fallen down among the rubbish, should be replaced; that the bronze statues, with which it was ornamented, should be removed to the Royal Bourbon Museum, and that their place should be supplied by casts of baked earth, and that the partitions on which were the paintings, as well as the fountain, should be defended by a roof, to save them from the chance of damage.

DURHAM CATHEDRAL.

A very curious discovery has been made in the Cathedral of Durham. In carrying into effect certain alterations and improvements at the eastern end of the Church,

There

June 16. A very curious and interesting assemblage of Egyptian antiquities, from the Levant, was sold by Mr. Christie. It consisted of a number of sepulchral monuments, presenting a great variety of mythological figures, and of inscriptions in hieroglyphic characters; also various figures of deities and animals in terra-cotta, wood, basalt, and other materials. There were likewise several articles of an interesting nature, as affording means of experiments on the nature of the process of embalming as practised by the ancient Egyptians. A large sepulchral tablet, or stele, of white stone, in high preservation, with various figures of divinities, and hieroglyphic inscriptions, was sold for 5l. 10s. were 25 other sepulchral monuments, of various sizes, ornamented with figures and hieroglyphics, which were sold in lots, and produced altogether about 30 guineas. A mummy of a female was sold for 94. 11s. 6d. The apex of an Egyptian obelisk, &c. sculptured with hieroglyphics, 21. 10s. The top of an altar, containing a representation of different objects of sacrifice, several lines of hieroglyphics, and a receptacle for libations, 14s. A slab of basalt, sculptured, with figures and hieroglyphics, 31. 10s. An embalmed cat, 11. An embalmed hawk, 5s. An arm of a mummy, &c. one guinea. A draped figure of Isis, in bronze, about 12 inches high; and a bronze wing, or feather, about 10 inches long, 21. 3s. The sepulchral monuments had been viewed by some celebrated Antiquaries, who consider them to have derived considerable importance from the recent discoveries of Dr. Young and M. Champollion, by whose successful labours a key has been furnished to many of the hieroglyphic inscriptions which were formerly considered merely as objects of curiosity, but are now satisfactorily explained;