the works of Bishop Montagu, in 1617, from his brother, Sir Henry Montagu, Chief Justice of the King's Bench. These carvings have been repaired by Mr. James Jones, of Bath, and a brass plate, commemorating the circumstance, placed inside one of the shields. It is remarkable, that, during his labours, a number of musket-balls were extracted from the wood.

The repairs of the interior have commenced with the Oratory of Prior Bird; where the principal requisites are the abstersion of the elaborate carvings from numerous coats of ochre, and the removal of various monuments from the mullions of its graceful windows. This portion of the repairs has been undertaken by private subscription, under the care of Mr. Edward Davis, Architect, of Bath; the estimated expense being 2501., of which the greater part has been subscribed. It is a remarkable and gratifying circumstance, that the names of the contributors will be preserved in the same Codex Parochianus, by which those of the 17th century have been handed down.

The arrangement of the monuments throughout the building is also in contemplation, including the "cropping off their ridiculous excrescences, in like manner as has been effected in Winchester Cathedral," a measure certainly desirable, where they block up windows or deface architectural features, but in which, for the sake of family history, and family feelings, we would suggest the most considerate judgment, and cautious attention to the workmen.

The repairs, and the plans for repair, had proceeded so far, when a few weeks ago some questions arose-whether the buttresses of the church should, or should not, in propriety, be surmounted with pinnacles; whether a pierced parapet should be added to the ailes, and whether & flying buttress, similar to those at the east end, should be erected on each side of the western turrets, in order to give a finish, and connection, to all parts of the west front.

Wm. Clark, esq. the late Mayor, who has taken a leading part in the direction of the repairs, has also written some published statements, from which the foregoing particulars have been principally derived. In his first paper, dated Dec. 10, he recommended not only that there should be no flying buttresses to the nave, because, with a wooden roof they were unnecessary, and perhaps unsafe, but also that the rudiments of flying buttresses now standing should be cut down, as unfinished and awkward excrescences; but on reconsidering the subject, previously to his letter published Jan. 1, he found reason to alter his opinions. Among other works, Mr. Clark had read that

portion of the Treatise on Architecture, in the New Edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica, which treats of the Pointed style; and it appears to have had some influence in deciding him, for he at once wrote to Mr. Hosking, the Architect, of London, and the author of that treatise, stating the case generally, and requesting his opinion on the subject.

The following is an extract from Mr. Hosking's letter in reply :

"I certainly think that it would be highly injudicious to decorate the Abbey to the full extent of the style to which it belongs, and for the reason you suggest, that it is of a very plain character, and because it is extremely valuable as an example of the very latest period of Pointed architecture.

"Pinnacles appear to me to be generally inappropriate to the style and composition of the structure, and I should most particularly deprecate the application of them to the turrets of the main tower, and to those of the east front; they could, I think, be tolerated only on the turrets of the west front, and on the buttresses of the transepts, though, indeed, I should be almost inclined to contend for their omission on the turrets altogether.

"I think the rich pierced and battlemented parapet, which you describe as proposed for the ailes, is quite out of character; their parapet, it appears to me, should be plain, and their buttresses terminated with a plain saddle-backed coping, though at a somewhat acute angle, and be consequently without pinnacles."

"As far as I can judge, from the information I have, there would be no danger in completing the flying buttresses over the ailes to the nave, and so to avoid the alteration you mention against the walls of the latter. Indeed, I cannot imagine anything worse than to cut away the rudiments of the flying buttresses, and carry the shafts down the walls, it would be a barbarism worthy only of the 17th and 18th centuries; but, as I have said, I know of no reason why the buttresses themselves should not be completed, and the heads of the vertical buttresses of the nave and choir may then, I think, be appropriately terminated by characteristic pinnacles. My reason for omitting pinnacles on the buttresses of the aile, and admitting them on those of the nave and choir is, that the vertical buttress of both the one and the other, connected by the flying buttress, forms but one composition, which taken in flank, or in an angular view, requires the pinnacle to form its termination, and carry it into the general composition."

Mr. Hosking subsequently suggested that, if the strength of the wooden roof

was suspected, the flying buttresses to the nave might be managed in artificial stone, or in Bath-stone blocks, bored to lighten them.

At a Common-hall, held shortly after Mr. Clark had received Mr. Hosking's letter, the Corporation came to the resolution to take further professional advice, and the architects selected were Sir Jeffry Wyatville and Mr. Hosking. We congratulate the admirers of our pointed architecture in its purity, upon this prudent resolution. The simplicity and gracefulness, indeed, of the turrets of the main tower would be entirely destroyed by pinnacles, and the square heavy turrets, or rather towers, of the east end or front, would become quite grotesque if pinnacles were placed upon them. The turrets of the west front, too, comport remarkably well with the rest, as they are; and would be only injured by the proposed addition.

It must be remembered, that Bath Abbey is in the latest period of Pointed architecture, nearly coeval with the chapels of King's College, Cambridge; St. George's, Windsor; and that of Henry the Seventh, at Westminster; but that, although it possesses the general features of the style in which they are, it is itself simple and unadorned, almost to plainness. It is evident, from the composition, that pinnacles were never intended on the buttresses of the ailes at Bath; and St. George's, at Windsor, is without them in that situation. The flying buttresses carry the composition upward, without that interruption, much better; but it would accord alike with good taste, and with the authority of numberless examples, to terminate the buttresses on the walls of the nave and choir with pinnacles. The proposed cutting way of the heads of the flying buttresses against the walls of the nave is itself a barbarism, but the restoration is infinitely worse: it would break up the composition, and tend much to destroy the abbatial, or even metropolitan, character, which the flying buttresses tend to give the edifice. The proposed pierced and machicollated parapet is certainly in conformity with the style of the period, but totally at variance with the plain and simple guise which it assumes in this edifice, and for which it is so highly valuable.

UNROLLING OF A MUMMY.

Jan. 16. A mummy was unrolled by T. J. Pettigrew, Esq. F. R. S. and S. A. in the theatre of the College of Surgeons, before a very crowded audience, consisting not only of members of the

college, but scientific men generally, who had been invited by advertisements.

Mr. Pettigrew, before he commenced the unrollment, delivered a very interesting lecture, of which the following is an abstract. He stated that the mummy was the property of the College. It had been in their Museum since 1820, and was brought from Thebes by Henderson. He adverted to the reasons which the Egyptians had for embalming their dead, and stated their belief, that if the body were entirely destroyed, the soul would be compelled to wander for 3,000 years. As to the origin of the practice, he could offer no observation; but it was mentioned as a custom by Diodorus Siculus and Herodotus; and that it existed so late as the 5th century, was proved by notices by Porphyry, Augustin, and St. Athanasius. Mr. Pettigrew next treated of the three methods of embalming, which, however, are well known. He described the character of the embalmers as being almost sacerdotal, while that of the cutter (a person who made the incision in the flank, for the purpose of removing the intestines), appears to have been as abhorred as that of our public executioner: the instant he made the incision, he was compelled to fly, pursued not only by the execrations of those present, but by any missiles on which they could lay hands. Afterwards, however, he was forgiven. While describing the method of enrolling, the lecturer made some remarks on the quantity of bandage usually found; this, he said, varied: one unrolled by Davison, at the Royal Institution, had 9 yards, 3 inches wide, in the skull the weight of the whole of the bandage about it was 294 pounds. A remarkable fact relative to that mummy was, that some portions of the superior vessels remaining, they were, by a chemical process, freed from the preserving matter, and "the process of mortification instantly began:"-they were Mr. Pettigrew displayed in the theatre. next alluded to the practice of gilding parts of mummies:-this was occasionally done all over the body, but sometimes only the eyes, nose, hands, and feetand female sexual organs. The coffins or cases were next treated of, and here the lecturer quite denied the usual notion, that the hieroglyphics on the case denoted passages in the life of the tenant. On one had been found a prayer, to the effect following::-"Oh, sun! and ye gods who give life to men! receive my soul, and suffer it to dwell with the eternal gods. I have continued through life to worship after the manner of my parents; I have killed no man, and ne

ver embezzled that which has been entrusted to me; and if, during life, I have done, or eaten, or drunk any thing unlawful, lay it not on my soul, but on the things contained in this chest."

Two cases had been sent into England by Mr. Salt, one of which was remarkably splendid, and contained a mummy enrolled in a way quite new to us-the bandages being narrower than usual, and crossed and recrossed in such a way as to resemble a suit of mail; this being seen through a coat of brown varnish. The

other case had a portrait (as is most probable) painted on a plank of cedar, where there is usually a rough imitation of the human face; and a copy of this was shown. Perhaps this was the prime curiosity of this very interesting lecture. It is, no doubt, the oldest effort of art in its way extant, and yet contains shadows laid on quite according to modern practice; and, strange as the assertion may seem, not unproductive of modern effect. Some observations were offered as to the nature of the colours used in painting the cases, the blue of which Mr. Pettigrew believes to be metallic.

Notice was next taken of the unfrequency of youthful mummies, but no reason for that circumstance offered; however, a fœtal mummy was displayed, and the case in which it had been found. Papyri had been found in the hands of mummies, and sometimes in the bandages. Mr. Pettigrew next made some very eloquent observations on the character of Egyptian art generally, and on their language and literature, which he yet hoped to see perfectly understood. The Rosetta stone was noticeable as a trophy of British valour, but how much more so as a trophy of British learning! He spoke with regret of those who had, unfostered by patronage, passed their lives in these pursuits, but said that the goal was now in sight, and public patronage alone wanted. Of Mr. Wilkinson, who was present, he spoke as the greatest authority on Egyptian subjects generally, and feelingly thanked that gentleman for his assistance in the interpretation of the hieroglyphics on the case of the present mummy, which he proceeded to interpret; and from which it appeared that the enclosed had once been Horseisi the son of Naspihimegori, an incense-bearing priest in the Temple of Ammon. He next explained the hieroglyphics on the surface of the case, and while so doing, pointed them out on some drawings hung up in sight of all present. It appeared that they represented the deceased on his introduction to various Egyptian deities. This being done, the top of the case (which had pre

viously been sawed asunder), was removed, and the mortal remnant, in its many-coiled covering, looking from where we sat, like a long mass of dried sponge, exposed to the eager sight of the crowded mass of spectators. A kind of label was first removed from around the feet, which identified the body as the same mentioned on the case; and it appeared that the writer had left a letter (p) out of the name Naspihimegori: though, after the body was almost denuded, a further ticket or label was discovered on the breast, and on this the name was rightly spelt. This identification was the more pleasing, as Mr. Pettigrew stated that sometimes treasure-seekers had removed bodies from their proper cases to others. On lifting the mummy, a quantity of cere-cloth was found, on which it had been placed as on a bed. The first cover was now removed, consisting of a loose wrapper of the usual cloth; after which, the unrolling proceeded for some time without any thing being noticed, save the presence of some crystals (of nitrum) similar to those found in the cloths of the mummy opened at Charing Cross Hospital (see Gent. Mag. for April 1833, p. 356,) and an occasional fringe at the end of a bandage. A stone was at length discovered between the thighs, which the lecturer believed to be a representation of some god; but of course, till perfectly cleansed, no opinion could be advanced with confidence. On the breast an amulet of five pieces was found, which was probably attached to a necklace. It was now perceived, that owing to the asphaltum having been applied too hot, to unroll the subject perfectly, even if practicable, would take too much time to be then completed. A scarabæus (almost the only emblem ever found in contact with the body), was discovered on the pit of the stomach; and the eyes, which after a while were laid bare, were found to be of enamel. The cut in the flank was also perceivable.

Mr. Pettigrew stated that a mummy opened at the Leeds Philosophical Society was covered an inch thick with an aromatic powder, and that he thought there was somewhat of the same kind on this. In conclusion. Mr. Pettigrew expressed his gladness that this had proved to be a male subject, as he had predicted; though others, from the absence of beard, &c. on the face of the case, had supposed it to be female, and, of course, had therefore questioned his reading of the inscriptions.

The body may be still seen by members, or by others, on proper application, on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, at the Museum of the College. E. B.

GRAVESTONE FOUND IN SOUTHWARK.

In digging for the purpose of forming a new sewer near the Town-hall at Saint Margaret's-hill in Southwark, in April, 1833, the workmen found, under the foundation of an ancient wall, (probably part of the old Town-hall, which was erected upon or near to the site of St. Margaret's Church,) a slab of Purbeck marble, which has evidently covered a grave in the church or churchyard of St. Margaret. It is 4 in. thick, 2 ft. 5 in. broad at the upper end, and 1 ft. 11 in. at the lower end; 4 ft. 6 in. long on one side, and 4 ft. 10 in. long on the other, having been broken off irregularly at the lower end, and part of the stone left in the ground. Round the surface of the stone is an inscription, which, when the stone was perfect, we may suppose ran thus:

ALEYN FERTHING LIST [ici Dieu de son] ALME EIT MERCI AMEN.

This discovery is rendered interesting, by the circumstance of Aleyn Ferthing, or Alan Farthing, being recorded in history. He was a worthy burgess of Southwark, who flourished in the first half of the fourteenth century. He represented that borough in the parliaments of the 11th, 12th, and 13th Edw. III. 1337-9. In the annual parliaments which were at that period assembled, we find different names as representatives for Southwark in each year until 1346, when Alan Farthing appears again, and for the last time in 1318.

George R. Corner, esq. F. S. A. of Southwark, justly considering this relic to be sufficiently interesting, as illustrative of the local history of the Borough, to merit preservation, has purchased it of the dealer in building materials in whose yard he found it, and with permission of the churchwardens of St. Saviour's, it will be laid down in some part of that church.

SEPULCHRAL REMAINS.

Between Dunham and Darlton, near Retford, there has existed for a series of years a beautiful cedar-tree, of dimensions considerably larger than usually attained in this country, being upwards of fortytwo feet high, and nearly twenty round the body. During the storm of January 7, this beautiful tree was completely uprooted, when underneath its, roots was discovered a rude stone coffin, of rather large dimensions, in a state of excellent preservation, containing a quantity of dust and several human bones, which are stated to have been those of a female; another skeleton was also found close by, conGENT. MAG. VOL. I.

siderably larger. It becomes a matter of inquiry whether the planting of this tree

was commemorative of the individuals

whose bones have thus been exposed, or

whether the ancient relic was not interred there antecedent to such an event. There formerly existed a village hereabouts, called Wymington, or Ŵymeston, and there is every appearance of its having been here, as the traces of foundations are yet distinctly visible, and it still bears the name of Wympton Moor.

ROMAN COINS FOUND NEAR THE GIANTS CAUSEWAY.

Some time ago a great number of Roman coins was found on Fairhead, a very lofty headland near the Giant's Causeway. A labouring man dug them out of his field; he sold now and then, all except five, for a trifle; and when Lords Ebrington and J. Russell, were visiting the Giants Causeway, Lord J. Russell bought three of them from the labourer. Now whence came these coins?-G. E Ardress, Dec. 20, 1833.

LOST ACTS OF THE IRISH PARLIAMENT.

A. Montgomery, esq. solicitor, of Belfast, has lately discovered in the Rolls' Office, Dublin, the long-lost Acts of the Irish Parliament passed between the death of Charles 1. and the restoration of Charles II., including all between the years 1639 and 1662, the want of which has caused much difficulties in legal affairs. The Newry Examiner, in adverting to the discovery of these Acts, says, "If we are not misinformed there was 50,000l. voted to Parliamentary Commissioners, to make researches for these records, on which Mr. Montgomery laid his hands by chance, when he was tossing over old papers in the Hanaper office, in his capacity of law agent to Lord Downshire, who intends compounding with Government for the tithes of his estates. Mr. Montgomery forthwith gave the Irish Government intimation of the valuable discovery."

LAMPS FOUND AT NORWICH.

As some men were clearing a cesspool in Wellington-street, St. Benedict's, Norwich, they found at the bottom three chamber lamps. Not supposing them of any value, they were sold at a small price. One of them being sent to a jeweller's to be cleaned, it was discovered to be of silver, of curious workmanship, and of considerable antiquity. They are very likely to have been secreted at the dissolution of religious houses, or during the civil wars of Charles, I.

2 E

Derry Kilmore Ferns Limerick Cloyne Killaloe

3,343 No change.

4,210 Cork 4,132 4,132 Clonfert 3,018

The Sees in the second column merge in those in the corresponding line in the first the income of those suppressed becoming vested in the Board.

The taxation on bishoprics are where annual incomes do not exceed 4,000. 5 per cent. Exceeding 4 and not exceeding 6,000l. 7 per cent. Exceeding 6 and not exceeding 8,000l. 10 per cent. Exceeding 8 and not exceeding 10,000. 12 per cent. All above this, 151.

The taxation on the incomes of parochial clergy, are 300l. per ann. 21. 10s. per cent. Every 10. over the sum is an increase of 5s, and when it reaches 4007. it is 5. and 2s. 6d. increase on every 101. till on an income exceeding 1,195. it is 15. In the dioceses of Meath and Limerick, no change takes place, except with regard to taxation. An option as to residence is given by the Act, where one see merges in another, except in the case of Cloyne and Ferns. The Bishop of Cloyne must reside in Cork; the Bishop of Ferns in Kilkenny. The present Bishop of Derry is liable to an annual tax of 4161. payable to the commissioners. To the see of Limerick, recently vacant by the death of Dr. Jebb, the Bishop of Killaloe has been translated, and Killaloe and Clonfert consequently coalesce.

The public works which have been undertaken by the aid of the loans made

by the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland, up to January 1833, may be thus enumerated:-1st. The Inland Navigation of Ireland; 2d. The Fisheries; 3d. Roads and Bridges under the Act 6 Geo. IV. c. 101; 4th. Public Buildings in Dublin and elsewhere; 5th. Dunmore Harbour; 6th. Kingston Harbour. There are nine works carrying on under special Acts of Parliament, and the sums granted to these up to January 1833, amount to 167,949. 19s. 2d. The first of these is the Wellesley-bridge and Docks at Limerick, to which have been lent up to the mentioned time 25,0001; 2d. The Dublin and Kingston Railway, 75,000l.; 3d. Atblunkard-bridge, across the Shannon, 9,8891. 193. 2d.; 4th. Galway Dock, 17,000l.; 5th. Ardglass Harbour, 6,6501. ; 6th. Limerick Navigation, 8,910.; 7th. Newry Navigation, 12,0002; 8th. Drogheda Harbour, 10,000l.; 9th. Dublin and Blessington-road, 3,500l. Seven loans have been granted to private Companies and to individuals, amounting to 11,8001. Sixteen loans have been made on Grand Jury presentments, amounting to 36,8127. 188. 9d. It appears that in those places where employment exists, industry flourishes, the people are contented, disease and famine are not known.

SCOTLAND.

An observatory and professorship of astronomy is to be immediately established in Edinburgh. It is proposed by government to give 3001. per ann. to a principal observer, who is to be a professor of astronomy in the University, and 100% to an assistant astronomer; 10001. for the erection of a house for the astronomer, and 1007. to keep up the establishment. The right of appointment of the first and all future professors and assistants to be in the Crown. The above terms having been approved of, the long-desired object of the Edinburgh astronomers will be forthwith effected.

LONDON AND ITS VICINITY.

Meditated Demolition of City Churches. -We are happy to announce the complete defeat of this unholy project, accomplished by the good sense and stre nuous exertions of the Parishioners in numerous Parishes, aided by the very general feeling expressed by all classes, even by some of those who differ in sentiment from the principles of the Es