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culation; no doubt much of the marvellous has been added to the sober details of history-his character will however, when placed in its true light, always demand the applause and admiration of posterityand the conduct of his brave compatriots leave us nothing to lament; but that the league of union they formed for the mutual defence of their liberty, should have been misnamed " perpetual." N.

GLEANINGS.

(Continued from page 70.)

LAVATER.

MOST people look up to Lavater as the father of the science of Physiognomy (if science it may be called) but the whole Lavaterian system may be traced to an old book, by John Baptista Porta, published in Latin, at Naples, in the year 1601, under the title, "De humana Physiognomia;" this work is illustrated with many plates, and is exceedingly curious. See Dr. Clarke's Bibliographical Dictionary.

Old Inscription over a Chimney Piece in a House at Little Gidding in Huntingdonshire,

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Money.

"In ancient ages of the world, before the invention of money, men were all for bartering of commodities, as Diodeme's Armour was valued at ten cows, and Glaucus's golden armour at one hundred. I read of no money till Abraham paid four hundred shekels for a burying-place. The old Britons used iron rings and plates for money. The Grecians made a law for the using of money, calling it νομισμα, από τον νόμο, the Latins, pecuniam, á pecu (the image of a cow being stamped on it), and monetam, from pévw to remain. The Hebrews called it Mahah, the French Monoy, the Spanish Moneda, the Germans Muniz, the Anglo-Saxon -Mynet, whence Mint." Vide Hearne's Works.

Derivations of Welsh Names, &c.

"The old Britons were the first of six nations, which had the possession of this land successively, viz. old Britons, Belga, Romans, Saxons, Danes, and Normans. The old Britons came originally from the Tower of Babel, thus: shortly after the deluge, the Lord having blessed Noah and his posterity, saying, Be fruitful, multiply and replenish the earth; they notwithstanding had been fruitful, and had, in a short time, multiplied incredibly, yet they obstinately refused to replenish the earth, but said, Go too, let us build a citie and a tower in it, whose topp may reach unto heaven, least we be scattered over the face of the whole earth; so they intended to dwell in their citie together, and to secure them from any future flood in the tower, but the Lord confounded their one (viz. the Hebrew) in fifty-two languages, so that they, not understanding each other, Babling about carrying on the worke, were necessitated to give it over unfinished, and then each principall man amongst them having sought out, and brought together, such as, could understand his language, conducted them into the severall parts of the earth, where many of them are called after their conducters' names to this day; as the Medes from Madai; the Muscovites from Mesceh, alias Mosoch; the Canaanites from Canan

and Gomer, the eldest son of Japhet, calling together all such as could understand Gomerarg, as the speech of Gomer, conducted them to, and seated them in, France, where they were called Gomeri, after old Gomer, and some of them into Britaine. But because he doth not particularize the place where they were first seated, give me leave to conjecture, that it was in Mount Gomeri, in Wales, (for that is also called Trefaldguin, the famous old town). From Mount Gomeri they might dilate their plantation over all Mount Gomerishire, still called Gomori, as long as they had such garments as their forefathers had; but those being worn out, and they being destitute (in this wilderness) of meanes to recruite apparell, yet found expedients to paint their naked bodies with severall coullers of cloathes, and then they were no longer called Gomire, but Britons, (i.e.) Painters, and their land Britaine, (i. e.) the painted nation. Some families painted GWIN, white; some DHυ, black; some GLAS, blue; some GоCH (pronounced GOFF) red; some LLOID, (pronounced FLOYD) green; and this is the originall of those common names GWIN, DHU, GLAS, GOFF and FLOID, amongst their posteritie in Wales to this day."

From a curious old Tract republished by Hearne, entitled "A Fool's Bolt soon shott at Stonage." Author unknown.

Ancient Division of Time.

"Five hundred and sixty-four atoms make a moment, four moments a minute, two minutes and an half a prick or point, four pricks or points a tid or hour in the course of the sun, six tids a fyrthling, four fyrthlings a day, and seven days a week."

From a very ancient and very valuable MS. (in vellum) in the Ashmoleian Museum, the author whereof was' Byrdferthus, Brightfertus or Bridfertus, monk of Ramsey, or as others say Thomey, who, according to Bale, flourished in the year 980, in the reign of King Ethelred.

The Nerves.

Errors in science have almost universally been the offspring of false or imperfect analogies; and it is curious to observe how a single term, used by way of illustration, has engendered an entire theory with all its appendages. Thus the nerves have been called as they really are in appearance, strings; but strings are capable of different degrees of tension, and according to these vibrate with greater or less force. Hence the nervous system was said to be braced or relaxed; its Functions depended upon its tone; the sympathies of one nerve with another were owing to similarity of tension, as had been remarked with respect of fiddlestrings; nerves communicated their vibrations to the brain, and excited in that organ tremulous motions which were the immediate cause of sensation; and so forth. It is a pity that all this ingenious and well connected system is overthrown by the single fact, that the nerves always lie unstretched in a soft bed of cellular substance, to which they are attached by innumerable minute threads, so as to be utterly incapable of any motion like the vibrating of a cord.

Dr. Aikin's Essays, p. 427, 8vo. 1811.

A Commandment given by the Queen's most excellent Maiestie the Twelfth of Februarie, and 22d of her Highnesses Reigne, and declared by the Lord Chauncellor of England, and other the Lordes of her Maiesties most honourable Privie Counsel in the Starre Chamber, concerning clokes and ruffes of excessive lengthe and depthe.

It is also to be understoode that the saide 12th day of Februarie, in the present yeare 1579, by the Queenes Maiesties expresse commandmente, it was declared and published by the Lord Chauncellor, and other the Lordes of her Maiesties said Counsell, that from the one and twentieth of this moneth, no person shall use or weare such excessive long clokes, being in common sight monstrous, as now of late are begonne to be used; and before two yeere's past hath not been used in this

realme. Neither also shoulde any person use or weare such great and excessive ruffes in or about the vppermost parte of their neckes, as had not been used before two yeeres past; but that all persons shoulde in modest and comelie sort leave off such fonde, disguised, and monstrous manners of attyring themselves, as both was unsupportable for charges, and undecent to be

worne.

And this her Maiestie commaunded to bee observed, upon paine of her high indignation, and the paines thereto due, and willed all officers to see the reformation and redresse thereof, to the punishment of any offending in these cases as persons wilfully disobeying or contemning her Maiesties commandment.

Given the 22d yeere of her Highnesses reigne, as is before expressed. God saue the Queene.

Imprinted at London, by Christopher Barker, Printer to the Queene's most excellent Maiestie. Cum privilegio Regia Maiestatis. Anno Dom. 1579.

Talents and Genius.

"A man of Talents has a much fairer prospect of good fortune than a man of Genius. There are few instances of Talents being neglected, and fewer still of Genius being encouraged. The world is a perfect judge of Talents, but thoroughly ignorant of Genius. Any art already known, if carried to a great height, is at once rewarded; but the new creations of Genius are not at first understood, and there must be so many repetitions of the effect before it is felt, that most commonly death steps in between Genius and its fame."

Hortus Siccus.

"Darby, a gardener at Hoxton, has a folio paperbook, in which he has pasted the leaves and flowers of almost all manner of plants, which make a pretty show, and are more instructive than any cuts in Herbals." This was in December 1691, and. was probably the origin of the Hortus Siccus among us.

Archælogia, Vol XII. No.: 16.

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