This University has received a magnificent present, which will greatly forward an object of the deepest interest. The Rev. Thomas Halford, M. A. of Jesus college, has invested in the Three per Cent. Reduced Annuities, the sum of 2,000l. to be paid over, with its accumulated interest, as soon as the building of a new wing of the Public Library is contracted for, and the work actually begun. ETON COLLEGE. Her Majesty has presented 5001. towards the funds now being raised amongst old Etonians, and others who feel an interest in the institution, for effecting several extensive projected improvements at Eton College. His Royal Highness Prince Albert has also presented to the committee the sum of 1001. The subscriptions amount to very little short of 10,000l. The Duke of Buckingham has presented a splendid bust of the late Lord Grenville, executed by Nollekins, to Eton College, with a request that it may be placed in the upper school. Lord Canning has also presented the college with a bust of his father; and Lord Guilford with one of his uncle-the minister, Lord North. Anchil and Litmus,' published in the Philosophical Transactions for 1840. The other Royal Medal, not having been awarded in the department of Mathematics, was awarded in that of Physics, to Eaton Hodgkinson, esq. F.R. S., of Manchester, for this paper, entitled, 'Experimental Researches on the Strength of Pillars of Cast Iron and other Materials,' published in the Philosophical Transactions for 1840. The following is a list of the New Council:-President - The Marquess of Northampton. Treasurer Sir J. W. Lubbock, Bart. M.A. Secretaries-P.M. Roget, M.D.; S. H. Christie, esq., M.A. Foreign Secretary-John Fred. Daniell, esq. Other Members of the Council— Neill Arnott, M.D.; Francis Baily, esq.; W. T. Brande, esq.; Richard Bright, M.D.; W. H. Fitton, M.D.; Sir W. J. Hooker, K.H. LL.D.; William Hopkins, esq. M.A.; William Lawrence, esq.; Gideon A. Mantell, esq. L.L.D.; William H. Pepys, esq.; the Rev. Baden Powell; George Rennie, esq.; Lieut.-Col. William H. Sykes; Charles Wheatstone, esq.; Rev. William Whewell, B.D.; Rev. Robert Willis, M.A. The Fellows whose names are printed in Italics were not Members of the last Council. ROYAL SOCIETY, Nov. 80. At the Anniversary Meeting of the Royal Society, Sir John William Lubbock, Bart., V.P. and Treasurer, in the chair, after the reading of the Address of the President, and the various Eloges of the deceased Fellows, both Home and Foreign, the adjudication of the medals of the Royal Society for the present year, by the President and Council, took place as follows,-viz. The Copley Medal to Dr. G. 8. Ohm, of Nuremberg, for his Researches into the Laws of Electric Currents, contained in various memoirs, published in Schweigger's Journal, Poggendorff's Annalen, and in a separate work, entitled, 'Die galvanische Kette Mathematisch Bearbertat.' The Royal Medal, in the department of Chemistry, to Dr. Kane, M.R.S.A., of Dublin, for his memoir, entitled, The Chemical History of BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. The Nov. 30. The fifth anniversary meeting of this society was held, John Edward Gray, Esq. F.R.S. &c., President, in the chair. From the report of the council it appeared that twenty members had been elected since the last anniversary, and that the total number amounted to 143. donations to the library, herbarium, and museum had far exceeded those of former years, and the society was never in such a prosperous state. A ballot took place for the council for the ensuing year, when the chairman was re-elected President, and he nominated John George Children, esq. F.R.S., and Hewett C. Watson, esq. F.L.S., Vice Presidents. J. Reynolds, esq., and Mr. T. Sansom were re-elected Treasurer and Librarian. The members afterwards supped together at the Crown and Anchor Tavern, Strand. ANTIQUARIAN RESEARCHES. SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES. Dec. 2. Hudson Gurney, esq. V.P. in the chair. Thomas Willement, esq. F.S.A. presented two coloured plates of the windows of stained glass recently erected in the church of St. George, Hanover Square, re-arranged from a window formerly at Mechlin, and brought to England some years ago, by the Marquess of Ely. The design is a tree of Patriarchs and Prophets, with a back ground of vines and grapes, in the style of Albert Durer. L. N. Cottingham, esq. F.S.A. presented a folio lithographic print, representing an interior view of the Choir of Hereford Cathedral, and shewing the Norman arch opened at its end, and the restorations in that style now in progress. J. O. Halliwell, esq. F.S.A. made a communication descriptive of two paintings recently discovered on the walls of Islip church, Oxfordshire; which was accompanied by two drawings by J. A. Cahusac, esq. F.S.A. One subject represents the Adoration of the Magi, and the other the weighing of souls by St. Michael. Their age was assigned to the middle of the 15th century. Clement Taylor Smythe, esquire, of Maidstone, communicated an account of a Roman villa and a variety of antiquities of all kinds, found in a field called the Slade, at Boughton Monchelsea, Kent. The buildings, which bore marks of having been destroyed by violence, measured sixty feet north and south, and thirty east and west. In some parts stucco was found on the walls to the height of three feet. The most remarkable feature was a hypocaust. Several coins of the Constantine family were found, together with three British or Gaulish, one of which is of silver, and two of brass; also fibulæ, pottery, glass, &c. Views of the remains, by Mr. Charles of Maidstone, were exhibited. Dec. 9. Mr. Gurney in the chair. Mr. Doubleday exhibited a very fine and perfect specimen of a lady's girdle, formed of links of chased silver, as worn in the sixteenth century, and seen in the pictures of Albert Durer, &c. It weighs 17 ounces, and is marked inside A P MARGETA. It was brought from Cologne, and is now for sale in the hands of Mr. Farrer, of Wardour street. Mr. Faulkner presented a drawing of the Stone Coffin lately found at Notting Hill, but not so correct as that published in our Magazine for November, p. 499. John M. Ross, esq. communicated an account of some Druidical Remains in the Scilly Islands. Robert Cole, esq. communicated from one of the Exchequer Papers dispersed when the recent holocaust was celebrated at Somerset House, a receipt of Sir Robert Viner, Goldsmith to Charles the Second, in part payment for the Regalia newly made after the Restoration, as described in Sir Edward Walker's account of that ceremonial. The total cost of the articles comprised in the account, amounted to 31,978. 9s. 11d., and they consisted of two Crowns, two Sceptres, one Globe, King Edward's Staff, the Armilla, Ampoule, and other Regalia; also of a crown, sceptre, and badge, for. Garter King of Arms, seventeen collars of the Garter, seventeen Georges, five Garters, seventy-five Badges of the order of the Bath, eighteen Maces, and a few other articles. The receipt is for the sum of 5,5001. in part payment, and dated 20 June, 1662. The Rev. George Henry Dashwood communicated a copy of the Calendar of Prisoners committed to the Castle of Norwich for high treason, after the insurrection in Norfolk in 1650, Sir Ralph Hare being High Sheriff. This had reference to some documents formerly communicated by Mr. Hudson Gurney. Dec. 16. Mr. Gurney in the chair. An extract was read from the will of the late Peter Prattinton, D.D. whereby he has bequeathed to the Society his manuscripts and other collections relating to the history of Worcestershire; an Indian cabinet, containing various curiosities found in Worcestershire; various printed books and pamphlets, prints and drawings; and the MSS. of the old antiquary Habingdon, and the old chest which belonged to that memorable person. It was announced that the first volume of the Magni Rotuli Normanniæ, or Norman Pipe Rolls, edited for the Society by Thomas Stapleton, esq. F.S.A. is ready for delivery; its price is, to Fellows of the Society 12s.; to the public 16s. Mr. C. R. Smith presented a plan of the Roman Building discovered in Brushing Down, Boughton Monchelsea, Kent, and described in the communication of Mr. Clement T. Smythe above-mentioned. Robert Lemon, esq. F.S.A. exhibited an interesting petition from the President, Council, and Fellows of the Royal Society of London to King George the First. It states that the Society had been chartered by King Charles the Second, who granted them licence to purchase lands in mortmain, but that since the passing of their patent of incorporation several well-disposed persons had devised and granted to the petitioners and their successors divers lands and hereditaments, and had given several sums of money for their use as a public body; and the Society, being desirous of investing the above in the most permanent form, beseech his Majesty to grant them his royal licence to hold the said lands and hereditaments, and to purchase and enjoy for themselves and successors for ever, such manors, lands, tenements, &c. as they should think fit to acquire, or might receive by will or donation, not exceeding the yearly value of one thousand pounds. This petition is signed by Sir Isaac Newton, as President of the Society; and opposite to the place where its great seal had been affixed, the following signatures occur, in attestation of the instrument:-George Parker (Lord These persons constituted the major part of the Council of the Society at that period, and it is very seldom that a collection of signatures so celebrated in science and literature are found associated in the same paper. The names of Sir I. Newton, Sir Hans Sloane, William Jones, the friend of Newton, and father of Sir William Jones the Orientalist, Martin Folkes, and Edmund Halley, give singular value to this document. A paper by G. Godwin, jun. F.R.S. and S. A. was then read, on certain marks discoverable on various buildings erected in the middle ages. About three years ago Mr. Godwin's attention was first directed to the curious fact, that the stones, both inside and outside many ecclesiastical buildings in England, bore a peculiar mark or sign, evidently the work of the original masons; and it occurred to him, that, if these marks were extensively collected and compared, they might by possibility serve to discriminate the various bands of operatives known as the Free-masons, to whom, he believes, we are indebted for so many fine buildings. During a recent visit to France, this idea was strengthened by discovering on some buildings in the ancient and very interesting city of Poitiers (viz. St. Pierre and St. Radegonde), a number of these marks, many of which were precisely the same as he had [previously found in England. Copies of these were exhibited, as also of many others from Gloucester Cathedral, Malmesbury Abbey Church, Bristol Cathedral, the parish church of St. Mary Redcliff in the same city, the church at Cirencester, Cheetham's College at Manchester, Furness Abbey in Lancashire, and other buildings, and the coincidences were pointed out. Amongst the marks, which vary in length from two to six inches, are many known Masonic symbols: triangles, double triangles, emblems of eternity and of the Trinity, the cross, in all imaginable varieties, the square, &c. The fishform, an early symbol of the Christian church, occurs in the examples both from France and England. Mr. Godwin's chief object was stated to be, simply to draw attention to the fact, so that collections of the signs might be made in England, France, and Germany, with a view to their being investigated and compared. (See a notice of M. Didron's essay on this subject, in April Mag. p. 417.) Mr. C. Roach Smith communicated a paper describing the discoveries made during the present year on the site of the Royal Exchange, at St. Paul's church, and in Cornhill. At the Exchange, the principal feature of the discoveries was the disclosure of a pit filled with a great variety of interesting objects, imbedded in a soil of animal and vegetable matter. Over this pit had been thrown a stratum of gravel, two feet thick, on which were the founda tions of buildings. Thus it appears that originally this pit had been dug for gravel, and that when the Roman city had progressed towards its limits, the pit was filled with rubbish and refuse from the adjoining shops and houses, and rendered fit for building on by the layer of gravel spread over. The period at which we may suppose the city had reached so far in its encroachments on the neighbouring fields, may be indicated by the coins of Vespasian and Domitian, of which several were found in the pit, with only one of a later time, namely, a plated denarius of Severus. The whole site of the Exchange appears to have been occupied by houses, though the casualties of time, and the hand of the invader, had left no traces be.. yond the scattered materials, whereby to point to their arrangement, or the courses of streets. The objects recovered from the contents of the pit are, a variety of sandals of leather, well nailed, made right and left, with reticulated work round the sides of the feet. These appear to be a species of the caliga adapted for such a climate as that of Britain. Knives of these a variety were found of different shapes; the most curious, perhaps, are those resembling the modern scalpel; two bear the cutlers' names, one of which reads, OLONDVS F. the other BASS, or PASS.... F; they have rings to the ends of the handle, and are still capable of being polished and sharpened. Styli: a great variety, together with many steel and iron implements, which have evidently been used in the arts, though it may not be so easy to appropriate them to particular fabrications. A number of little wooden implements are not among the least interesting of this multifarious deposit. They resemble the little pieces of wood still used in the West of England in yarn-spinning, and that they were formerly appropriated to a similar purpose appears corroborated by the fact of some filaments of wool being attached to one of those under consideration. We were sorry to hear the writer state that his exertions to rescue these objects, so illustrative of the ancient arts and manners, were opposed by persons who alleged they were instructed to do so by the United Gresham and City Improvement Committees, to the great obstruction of his researches.-At the junction of St. Paul's Church-yard with Cheapside, the foundations of an extensive building were met with, and a hypocaust, covered over with tiles twenty-four inches square, and from three to four inches thick; above this were fragments of a tesselated pavement, wrought in coloured tessellæ, and beneath coins of Magnentius, Decentius, and Valens, were found, which shew the late date of the building, A very extraordinary specimen of a Samian vase, about 14inches high, obtained from Cornhill, was exhibited. The figures on this vase, in high relief, of two sedent females and a youthful male person, hold ing two hunting spears, together with or namental foliage, have evidently been cast in moulds, and then affixed to the vase, contrary to the general character of these fictile works, Dec. 23. Henry Hallam, esq. V.P. The following gentlemen were elected Fellows of the Society: Richard Hopkins Allnatt, M.D. of Parliament-street, and late of Wallingford; Francis Watts, esq. of Parliament-street, and Vincent-square, Westminster, printer of the London Gazette; Oliver Anderson, esq. of Lincolns' Inn, and of Bedford-place, Barrister-at law; Charles William Spicer, esq. F.G.S. &c. of the Mansion, Letherhead; and George Smith, esq. of Cambourne, Cornwall, F.R.S. and M.R.S.L, the author of Inquiries into Biblical Chronology. The Rev. H. Jenkins exhibited a bronze ring, supposed to be the frame of a fibula found at Stanway in Essex, in 1840, and bearing this inscription: ihrus rtus rex iudeorum ave. R. Porrett, esq. F.S.A. communicated a drawing of a two-handled cup, of solid brass, found near Tenby, co. Pembroke, about the year 1834. It is about three inches high, of about four inches diameter, and weighing nearly seven lb. The cir cumference is ornamented by perpendicular projections. Within it were some metallic remains, supposed to have been coins (but we think improbably), which soon crumbled to dust. L. N. Cottingham, esq. F.S.A. exhibited drawings of two alabaster bas-reliefs exhumed in May last from among some rubbish in the tower of Hereford Cathedral. They are about 18 inches high. One represents the decapitation of Saint Katharine; and the other Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace. The latter are represented as naked children, and we know they were called in the old legends the tres pueri in camino ignis; but why they should be exhibited of such dimensions, unless for the convenience of the artists, it is difficult to conjecture. In the former design one of the figures has a hood terminating in the head of an animal. The general character of the costume points to the time of Edward III. Some fragments of a copper gilt cross were found with them. Clement T. Smythe, esq. communicated a description of a Roman burial-place, excavated in the year 1827, at Sutton Valence, near Maidstone. It contained a cist, filled with urns and glass vessels, and which had been apparently filled up with quick lime. Around it were a number of other interments in regular rows. Sir Henry Ellis then read a treaty made by the Grand Signor with Queen Elizabeth in 1580. The meetings of the Society were adjourned over Christmas to the 13th of January. NUMISMATIC SOCIETY. Dec. 23. Professor Wilson, President, in the chair. Mr. C. Roach Smith, Sec. exhibited a unique halfpenny of Edgar in his possession, which was discovered in making excavations for the Sun Fire Office. On the obverse it reads, EADGAR REX; in the centre a short cross; on the reverse, two long crosses placed perpendicularly across the field, vvIN. This rare coin is the only halfpenny known of Edgar. Mr. Smith also exhibited a penny of Alfred, found in Broad-street, City. The reverse bears the monogram of London; the portrait on the obverse is remarkable for being in a very superior style of workmanship to those hitherto published. Mr. Charles Brooker exhibited four gold British or Gaulish coins, found at Alfriston, in Sussex; one is of pale, the rest of red gold. The first is plain on the convex side, and has the well known rude disjointed horse with lunettes, &c. on the reverse. The others are uncommon and highly interesting; two are distinguished by the letters TIN under a horseman on the concave, and coм. and KOM.F. on the convex sides; the third is of rude work, oby. a wreath and curls, rev. the disjointed horse, above TIN, beneath a wheel. Mr. Robert Elliott exhibited eight small gold British or Gaulish coins found at Bognor in Sussex, one of which of small module seems of the same family as two of those from Alfriston, as it reads in letters of like fabric coм; another of them has the head of Medusa of good work. Mr. E. B. Price exhibited the lump of lead impressed with a die of Alfred. (See engraving in Gent. Mag. for Nov. p. 498.) Mr. Thomas Owen Morgan exhibited a mass of coins of the lower empire, with fragments of two bronze pateræ, found on his estate near Aberystwith. The President then read a paper on a large silver medal of the King of Oude, exhibited by Mr. Nightingale. This medal is of historical importance, as recording a change of title of the ruling authority of an extensive territory in India. It was struck to commemorate the assumption of the title and authority of King, by the Prince holding the title of Navab Vizier, and represents the new monarch of Oude in the first year of his reign as king, with a crown upon his head, the design of which was probably furnished by some of the European artists at his court; the rest of the costume is Indian. The medal is a remarkable deviation from the precepts of the Mohammedan religion, which prohibits the imitation of living things, and especially of human beings.* The inscription in Persian is as follows. "The mintage in silver and gold, through the grace of the Lord of all bounty, of Ghazi ud din Hyder-Ghazi (the conqueror of infidels) of the house of the Lion of the age; in the year one." The reverse represents the arms of the King of Oude; two non-descript lions or tigers rampant, supporting two banners, each bearing the device of a fish; beneath, two fish surmounting an ornamental scroll. The banners are separated by a dagger, above which, as a crest, is the regal crown. The Secretary then read the second portion of Mr. Hawkins's elaborate report on the Saxon coins found at Cuerdale, and the Society adjourned to the 27th January. After the business of the evening had closed, the President, in the name and at the request of the subscribers, presented to Mr. Akerman, one of the Honorary Secretaries of the Society, a copy of Eckhel's "Doctrina Veterum Nummorum," in 8 volumes quarto, bound in morocco, an elegantly inlaid and ornamented inkstand of papier mâché, an envelope case and portfolio of green morocco, in token of their respect and of the value they attach to his zeal, intelligence and activity in forwarding the interests of the Society, as well as in the advancement of general Numismatic Science. It is pleasing to witness science and knowledge gradually breaking through these absurd superstitions, and for this among other reasons, we are pleased to hear that a medallic portrait of the Pacha of Egypt is being engraved in this country, as a mark of esteem for that ruler's noble behaviour during the war in protecting the persons and property of the nations who were invading his territories. Gent. Mag. VOL. XVII. ANCIENT ARTILLERY, &C. AT THE TOWER. From a pleasing little Guide to the Tower of London, compiled by J. Hewitt, and just published by authority of the Master-general and Board of Ordnance, we extract the following interesting information respecting the curiosities lost, and those that were rescued, from the recent fire : The Grand Storehouse was divided into two principal portions, the Train of Artillery and the Small-arms Armory. The Train was so named from having been used as a store-room for the field train of artillery before its removal to Woolwich. The Small-arms Armory was a noble apartment above the Train, occupying the whole length of the building. At the time of its destruction, this room alone contained upwards of sixty thousand stand of arms— musquets, carbines, and rifles. There was also a considerable quantity in the Train below and in other premises connected with the building. The total amount was about a hundred thousand stand. Of percussion musquets there were in store previously to the fire twelve thousand eleven thousand were destroyed. Fortunately, however, the store of arms was much below the average number, owing to the rapid supply of percussion musquets to the various regiments. This average is about two hundred thousand: and sometimes the amount was much greater. In 1830 the number was six hundred thousand. There were also about twenty-six thousand bayonets, twenty-two thousand flint locks, seven thousand percussion locks, and a large quantity of belts, slings and pouches, the whole of which have been destroyed or rendered unserviceable. The Barrel Room, containing about eighty-five thousand barrels (musquet, carbine, and rifle), being situated in the lower part of one of the old towers, escaped injury. On entering the Grand Storehouse by the central doorway, were seen two huge trophies on the right and left of a handsome staircase which united the Train to the Small-arms Armory above. That on the right was the "Naval Trophy," composed of a large anchor taken at Camperdown by Admiral Duncan (this forms a conspicuous figure in the ruin, retaining its position amidst the general wreck, and seeming to set the elements at defiance); the steering-wheel of the Victory, Nelson's ship at Trafalgar; part of a mast of the Pearl frigate, singularly perforated with shot from a Spanish ship, which she finally captured; the figure-head of the "Monarch," 74 gun ship, whose services were recorded on a tablet below (these three M |