Mr. Frederick Hawkins’s “Annals of the French Stage from its Origin to the Death of Racine,” have been published by Messrs. Chapman & Hall. Mr. Hawkins, says the Times, is the first English writer who has undertaken to deal with this subject on a scale larger than that of a magazine article. It is understood that he has endeavoured to give his work some value as one of literary history and criticism, and has devoted much care to an elucidation of the relations between the Church and the stage in olden times. For his information as to the material situation of the Comédie Française he is indebted to the unpublished registers of that theatre.
The following articles, more or less of an antiquarian character, appear among the contents of the magazines for November:—Quarterly Review, “France under Richelieu.” Art Journal, “Collection of Casts at South Kensington;” “The Western Riviera, La Mortola, and Ventimiglia;” “Marble and Marble Mosaic.” English Illustrated Magazine, “Play, a Scene from the Life of the Last Century;” “Eton.” Edinburgh Review, “The Irish Massacres of 1641;” “Boulger’s History of China.” Temple Bar, “Recollections of Canning and Brougham;” “A Visit to Rothenburg.” Century Magazine, “The Old Sedan Chair;” “Sculptors of the Early Italian Renaissance.” Contemporary Review, “Wurzburg and Vienna;” “Goethe;” “Greek Cities under Roman Rule.” Monthly Packet, “Cameos from English History.” Journal of Education, “The Teaching of History.”
The civic procession to the Royal Courts of Justice on “Lord Mayor’s Day” (November 10) contained several picturesque and interesting pageants, representing different historic incidents and personages connected with the early history of the City of London. These included William the Conqueror, Richard Cœur de Lion, Henricus Fitz-Alwyne, the first Mayor of London, Richard II., and Queen Elizabeth. The immortal “Dick” Whittington was represented sitting by the Highgate mile-post, accompanied by his cat, and in the act of listening to the bells of Bow Church, a model of which, as it was in A.D. 1400, came next in the procession; and this was followed by a counterfeit presentment of Sir Richard Whittington in all his civic dignity. The representative of Lord Mayor Walworth, standing over the slain Wat Tyler, was received with groans and hisses as the procession passed along.
The Progrès de l’Aisne gives the following particulars with regard to some discoveries which have lately been made by M. Moreau, a wellknown antiquarian, at Chouy, near St. Quentin. The village, though situated upon a height, is well provided with water, and M. Moreau has discovered traces of ancient Roman baths, though the small number of arms found induces the belief that it was never a military post during the Roman occupation. The cemetery was used as a place of interment from a period preceding the conquest of Gaul by Cæsar until the eighth century without interruption, and a large number of Gallic and Gallo-Roman graves have been discovered. Among other articles found were a Gallic boot sole, studded with nails, 27 buckles, clasps and plates in bronze and iron, 38 bracelets, rings, and other articles of personal adornment, mostly in bronze, though a few are silver-gilt, six bronze pieces of money of the time of Licinius, Crisus, Constantine II., Valens, and Valentianus I., two bronze dishes, 89 earthen dishes and 14 in glass, nine iron swords, 15 hatchets, daggers, and javelins, 108 flints of all shapes, thousands of coffin nails, and a signet ring with nine facets, upon which are engraved the greeting vivas, the dove and olive branch, the palm, the lamb, the stag, and the hare, symbols in use among the early Christians.
Among the various properties advertised for sale is Etall Castle, one of the Northumbrian “Peel Castles,” as they are styled. It is situated in the parish of Ford, about six miles from Coldstream, in the valley of the Till, a tributary of the Tweed. The present mansion is modern, of stone, with a heavy roof, and large square windows. It is approached by an avenue of finely-grown trees, the gardens are laid out in the Italian style, and the entire estate comprises about 3,440 acres. Near the mansion is the parish church, built by Butterfield in 1850, in memory of the late Lord Frederick Fitzclarence and his only daughter. On the west of the village, on the banks of the river, and about a quarter of a mile from the mansion, are the picturesque ruins of the ancient castle, once the abode of the noble family of Manners. This castle was taken by the army of James IV. of Scotland on his invasion of England in the year 1513, shortly before the battle of Flodden Field, and is mentioned by Sir Walter Scott in the Fifth canto of “Marmion,” as well as the other border fortresses in the neighbourhood—Wark, Ford, and Norham. Over the entrance of the castle are sculptured the arms of Manners, it having been embattled by Sir Robert de Manners, who was knighted on the field of battle by Edward III. In the grounds is a handsome chapel, built of stone in the style of the Edwardian period; and near the river are to be seen the foundations of St. Mary’s Chapel and Well.—Times.
The dispersion of collections of art work is being apparently followed up by the sale of properties remarkable for historic or antiquarian features. The sales of the Island of Herm and of Boscastle, in Cornwall (both of which were abortive), have been, or are to be, succeeded by two others of a still more remarkable character. The one is the extensive ruins of Middleham Castle, in Yorkshire, celebrated for its splendid Norman keep, built by Robert Fitz Ranulph, and famous as the stronghold of Warwick, the king-maker, and as the favourite residence of his son-in-law, Richard III. The fine appearance of the keep has, however, been considerably interfered with by the Decorated buildings which surround it, and which were erected in the fifteenth century by Robert Neville, “the peacock of the North.” In later times, many of the scenes in “The Last of the Barons” were laid at Middleham. The second sale is that of Goodrich Court and Castle, which, for picturesque effect, is one of the most beautiful and attractive localities in the scenery of the Wye. Goodrich Court was, in Sir Samuel Meyrick’s time, noted for its unrivalled collection of mediæval armoury. The mansion itself is a restoration by the late Mr. Blore. The castle, of which the principal remaining features are the gateway, a three-storied Norman keep, and an Edwardian banquetting-hall, was successively the residences of the Earls of Pembroke and the Talbots, and, later on, stood a gallant siege under Sir Henry Lingen, who held it for the King against the Parliamentary army.
During the visit of a party of local archæologists to Wirksworth, in Derbyshire, a paper was read by Dr. Webb, proving that lead mining had been carried on there from time immemorial. The following circumstances suggest that the Wirksworth mines were known to the Saxons: 1. A mine near to Castleton was called Odin, after one of their gods. 2. Eadburga, Abbess of Repton (to which monastic institution the lead mines at Wirksworth appear to have belonged at this time), sent from Wirksworth, A.D. 714, a leaden coffin, in which to bury St. Guthlac, Prior of Crowland Abbey, and formerly a monk at Repton. 3. Kenewara, also Abbess of Repton, gave the estate at Wirksworth, A.D. 835, to Humbert, the Alderman, on the condition that he gave lead to the value of three hundred shillings to Archbishop Colenoth, for the use of Christ’s Church, Canterbury. That the mines were worked after the Norman Conquest is proved by a survey, in the possession of the Duchy of Lancaster, of Peveril Castle, made in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, who greatly encouraged mining operations by inviting skilled workmen from abroad; and this survey describes the castle as being covered with lead. As it was built in the reign of the Conqueror, the lead used in its construction was probably obtained from Derbyshire mines; in fact, Domesday Book mentions the working of three lead mines at Wirksworth, one at Crich, one at Ashford, one at Bakewell, and one at Metesford, a manor in the neighbourhood of Matlock.—Weekly Register.
Among the most interesting properties which of late have come into the market is that of Boxley Abbey, near Maidstone, which was sold by auction in October last by Messrs. Walton & Lee, of Mount-street, Grosvenor-square. It is described as situated about two miles from Maidstone, and as consisting of about 900 acres of first-class meadow, hop and fruit plantations, arable and woodlands. It comprises the remains of the old Cistercian Abbey of Boxley, with its more modern Elizabethan residence, gardener’s cottage, stabling and offices, gardens, lawns, fish-stews, and terraced walks, surrounded by the abbey-gate or home farm lands, partly enclosed within the abbey walls. The estate, we are told, “lies within a ring fence, is well watered by an abundance of springs, is intersected by good roads, and abounds in historical traditions.” The Pilgrim’s-road, trodden by the feet of so many persons on their way to and from the shrine of St. Thomas at Canterbury, and the walls of the Abbey, which is said to have been the first abode of Cistercian monks in England, dating from the beginning of the eleventh century, a splendid specimen of an old tithe barn in excellent preservation, and a monastic chapel, now converted into a dwelling-house, are objects of especial interest to the antiquary and archæologist. The abbey itself was founded about the middle of the twelfth century by William d’Ipres, Earl of Kent. In the reign of Edward I. the Abbot was summoned to Parliament on several occasions; and Edward II. took up his residence at this abbey during the siege of Leeds Castle in October, 1221, from the refusal of its governor to provide lodgings for Queen Isabella and her suite when going on pilgrimage to Canterbury. It is said there was here a curious crucifix upon the rood-screen, which came to be called the “Rood of Grace,” and of which the mechanism would seem to have been extremely ingenious. To this rood or crucifix the abbey was indebted for many offerings, its curious movements being reported as miraculous, and, under that impression, great numbers of people were continually resorting thither. At the time of the Reformation, the rood was publicly exposed at St. Paul’s-cross, in London, by the Bishop of Rochester, and soon afterwards broken to pieces and burnt.—Times.
The Marquis of Bute has given £500 to the fund for establishing a British School of Archæology at Athens. The executive committee contemplate building a suitable house on Mount Lycabettus, in the immediate vicinity of Athens, where a site has been placed at their disposal by the Greek Government. It is intended that the house should afford a residence for the director, and should contain a library of reference. The aim of the school will be to promote the study of Greek art and architecture in their remains of every period; the study of inscriptions; the exploration of ancient sites; and especially all branches of research which can illustrate Hellenic life and literature, from the earliest age. Membership of the school will be open to all students accredited by any university or college of Great Britain, by the authorities of the British Museum, or of the Royal Academy, or by any other institution qualified to give credentials. The director will guide the studies of the members, and exercise a general supervision over the researches undertaken by them; report on the work of the school, and on any discoveries which may come to his knowledge; and also afford information and advice to properly accredited British travellers in Greece. It is believed that, through the agency of the school, valuable notes might be collected from visitors to the Hellenic countries, who, without being specialists, are competent scholars and observers; and such notes might conveniently be registered in the annual report of the school. The increasing interest in archæological studies which is being manifested in the universities and schools of the country warrants the hope that, when the school has been established at Athens, facilities will be afforded to students desirous of proceeding thither for the purpose of supplementing the knowledge derived from books by a direct acquaintance with the scenes and monuments of Greek life. A general feeling exists that England ought not to remain behind France, Germany, and the United States in possessing a centre in Greece for the furtherance of intellectual studies. The general committee, of which the Prince of Wales is president, already includes representatives of the Universities and public schools, of the Royal Academy, of the British Museum, of the Society of Antiquaries, of the Society of Dilettanti, and of the London Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies. While it is believed that the funds already subscribed will probably be adequate for the provision of a house and library, further contributions are still needed for the purpose of endowing the office of director with a proper salary, and of creating a printing fund for the publications of the school. Any subscriptions towards these objects will be gratefully received and acknowledged by the treasurer, Mr. Walter Leaf, Old Change, E.C.; by the bankers, Messrs. Grindlay & Co., 55, Parliament-street, S.W.; or by the secretaries, Mr. T. H. S. Escott, 38, Brompton-crescent, S.W.; Mr. James Gow, 13, Old-square, Lincoln’s-inn; and Professor Jebb, the University, Glasgow.
