in a more favoured position than it is at present. True that there are occasionally laboured efforts to show that no such thing as Christian architecture has any existence (it is a hard task to prove a negative), and occasionally we are told, by what would fain be high authority, that the adornment of churches, especial of chancels, is to be considered as the distinguishing characteristic work of a party, and that an unfaithful one. Still your committee believe there exists an increasing desire to execute in a fitting manner the works which may be in progress, a more chaste appreciation of ornament rightly applied, and a more common belief that bareness and meagreness in the fittings of the House of GoD are no fit expressions on our part of our sense of His Majesty whom we worship, as, certainly, in Hooker's words--God hath no where revealed that it pleaseth Him to dwell beggarly.' In speaking, however, of the Society's prospects, your committee would invite more extended co-operation both from our own members and from churchmen at large. The zealous labours of the Plymouth committee, and the success which has attended those labours, form a strong ground for extending similar operations elsewhere. The important district of Truro, where no acting committee has yet been formed, seems especially to demand such an effort; and, as to more extended support from churchmen at large, this may be afforded either through information from individuals of all that may be interesting in their respective neighbourhoods, or by a more numerous enrolment of members, which would bring to our aid whatever amount of experience they may possess, and would also enable the Society, by increased funds, the better to carry out the objects for which it was formed. Your committee will rejoice to report more favourably on this head another year.

The Quarterly reports which have been already presented and adopted, make it the less necessary to be very explicit in the Annual report. More churches seem to have been completed than commenced of late, thus many consecrations have taken place, and several buildings are ready for consecration, while but three sets of designs have lately come before the committee. Two of them were generally approved, though in one a more desirable arrangement of chancel could have been suggested but for the limited nature of the site-and in the other your committee felt it necessary to propose a few changes, though the design possessed considerable merit on the whole. The third set of designs, of the Decorated period, seemed to your committee to be wanting in some of the most desirable features of that style, though in the artist they exhibited considerable acquaintance with its details. The arrangement of the chancel in this design was considered especially commendable. The tower of Allhallows-on-the-wall in this city, which had so long remained in an unfinished state, has, through the sole liberality of Dr. Bull, been at length completed. Besides these greater works, your committee have had to give their advice in several works of less extent.

Many papers of great interest have been prepared and read within the year. Your committee would name that of Col. Harding on the Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Exeter, from the kind promise held out

that the subject shall be shortly continued. Mr. Street's paper on the examples in Cornwall, of churches of the Decorated period, has been fully illustrated in the number of the Society's Transactions laid on the table to-day, a number which your committee are confident will prove of great interest to them from the matters of its papers and from its copious illustrations. Your committee regret that from circumstances over which they have no control, the paper on chancels has not been followed up as was promised. Eight new members have been added to the Society's list, no large number, but sufficient to show that the interest felt in its operations is not dormant.

"Many presents have been received, consisting chiefly of drawings and prints by different contributors. The history of Ludlow Castle, presented by the Hon. R. H. Clive, shows that the Society is regarded with kindly interest in distant dioceses. Your committee have voted entire copies of the Society's Transactions for the use of the Bishop's library in New Zealand, and to Mr. Dudley, for many years an able assistant to Mr. Hayward, by whose direction his talented pencil has contributed largely to our illustrations. The occasion of this latter vote was the proposed departure of Mr. Dudley for New York to join Mr. Wills, who left at an earlier period, and who having lent his professional aid for some time in the erection of the cathedral at Fredericton, has lately settled in the chief city of the West, so that we may fairly hope to see the principles of our Society take root and flourish among our Transatlantic brethren.

Your Committee are glad to report that one or two valuable plates, the property of the Society, which had been long missing, have at length been discovered, and they are all now in the custody of your Committee.

"Your Committee have purchased fifty sketches of architectural details, taken by Mr. Reed, an American artist, from churches in this diocese.

'An application was lately made for a copy of the Society's rough notes, to assist the Editor of Murray's Hand Book of Devon, a request with which your Committee most readily complied, on the condition that the corrected copy in this room was referred to. This condition your Committee thought it necessary to impose, as otherwise they would be parties to circulating incorrect information; they would be glad if the corrections of those notes came more freely in.

A paper has been promised, which is to contain a full account of the restoration of S. Mary, Ottery, and your Committee were not without hope that it would be prepared for the meeting to-day.

"Before concluding this report, your Committee feel called upon briefly to notice a subject, to which their attention has been directed by several members of our Society, as well as by others, but on which they would speak with that caution and courtesy due to those from whom the Society has ever received the kindest support. Allusion is made to the internal wooden porches and doors which have been affixed to one of the entrances of our beautiful cathedral. Your Committee know not from whose design these works were executed, but they cannot but express their regret that some more comely and equally

effectual plan has not been devised for checking draughts, which your Committee suppose to have been the object of the change in question. They think that this might have been as fully secured by affixing appropriate hangings before the entrance openings, as is done at Durham and other cathedrals. Our own cathedral, almost unique as an entire example of one, and that the best, period of Christian architecture, is also remarkably free from deformities of this kind, and it is therefore the more to be lamented that erections should have been permitted so inconsistent with the building itself, as well as so offensive to the eye."

W. Miles, Esq., presented the Treasurer's report, which showed a balance in favour of the Society of only £29. 13s. 5d., whereas last year it was £108. 14s. 1d. The arrears of subscriptions amounted to 184. 148., which he expected would eventually be paid.

The report having been received and ordered to be printed, Lieut. Col. Twopeny, of Kingskerswell, was elected a member of the Society, on the motion of Major Lee.

Mr. T. G. Norris, the Curator of the Society, laid on the table two volumes, gifts of the Archæological Society, being their published proceedings at their annual meetings in 1847 and 1848. Mr. Hayward, the Society's architect, drew the attention of the meeting to two curious and interesting Greek triptychs, and an ancient chalice and paten, lent by Messrs. Ellis and Son, of this city, for the inspection of the members. Also several drawings of chalices. Mr. Ashworth placed in the room, for the inspection of the members, a fine drawing by himself, of Lane's aisle in Collumpton Church, with the decorations as discovered in the course of the recent alterations. Also a fine drawing of King Henry VII.'s chapel in Westminster Abbey. The Rev. H. L. Jenner, of Merrifield, Antony, in Cornwall, presented several drawings by Mr. White, of Truro, including views of the school-house at Mevagissey, and the parsonage of S. Columb.

A curious but beautifully executed pedigree of the Courtenay Family from the Norman Conquest to the Commonwealth, the work of Sir Peter Balle, Recorder of Exeter, who was turned out of his office by the Puritans in the Corporation from 1648 to 1660, was laid before the meeting by Mr. Pitman Jones, and excited great attention.

Mr. Ashworth read a very elaborate and able paper on "the Architectural antiquities of Dartmoor and some of the Border Churches," which was profusely illustrated, and excited very great interest. The Rev. P. Carlyon read a paper, which had been contributed by Charles Spence, Esq., of Stoke, near Devonport, on "the Manor House and Chapel at Fardell, the residence of Sir Walter Raleigh." Papers were also read by the Rev. Mr. Cox, on 'the Claims of the Decorated or Second-Pointed Style of Church Architecture regarded in an historical aspect"; and by Mr. White, of Truro, on the best Principles of Design in Churches." All these papers contained interesting information and valuable suggestions, and were much and deservedly applauded.

The officers for the ensuing year were appointed on the motion of the Rev. Prebendary Scott. Thanks were voted to the contributors of papers, drawings, and books, as well as to the Chairman, and the meeting separated, after having occupied four hours.

228

JOINT MEETING OF THE

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE ARCHITECTURAL SOCIETY, AND THE WARWICKSHIRE ARCHEOLOGICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.

ON Wednesday, May 21, a meeting of the above Societies was held in S. Mary's Hall, Coventry, the chair being taken by C. H. Bracebridge, Esq., who in alluding to the place of meeting, called to their recollection the Earl Leofric and the Lady Godiva, as noble personages peculiarly connected with the history of the place, and claimed for them the position of historic character, and not to be mixed up with fabulous stories, or confounded with the myths of chivalric times, and quoted several chroniclers and historians in support of his assertion.

The first paper was read by M. H. Bloxam, Esq. of Rugby, on some ancient British, Roman, Romano-British, and Early Saxon Remains, mostly sepulchral, recently discovered in Warwickshire, and not hitherto noticed. These which were exhibited in the room, consisted of some drinking cups of British pottery of the period anterior to the Roman invasion; two heads of copper belonging to a Roman steelyard or balance; some fragments of embossed Coralline, or Samian ware; a small bronze hammer of the Romano-British era; and the handle of a bronze mirror, with part of the mirror attached; also some fragments of a sword and spear of Anglo-Saxon times, and a fibula of the same date.

The Rev. Wm. Staunton then read a paper entitled "Brief Notices of the Cathedral and Priory of Coventry;" and the Rev. G. Ayliffe Poole, a paper on "The Churches of Coventry."

Several relics of antiquity of great variety, value, and interest were laid on the table; some drawings of Mr. Poole, and rubbings of brasses. The churches of S. Michael and Trinity, and the picturesque building of Ford's Hospital were visited in the afternoon.

On Thursday an excursion was made by the members of the two Societies, and several others, to Kenilworth, where a lecture was delivered within the precincts of the castle by the Rev. C. H. Hartshorne, on the architectural character, and historical changes of the different portions of the building. Quotations were made from the pipe rolls and other documents, to show the additions and repairs which took place under the several possessors. The next visit was made to the museum at Warwick, which was greatly admired for the rich and curious specimens, of interest to the naturalist and antiquary. Then Warwick Castle received the company, which was thrown open by the liberality of Lord Warwick, including the magnificent doubleaisled Crypt, and the domestic apartments. Mr. Hartshorne again gave a lecture on the history of the castle, and assigned dates to the celebrated Cæsar and Beauchamp towers.

NEW YORK ECCLESIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

THE regular Quarterly Meeting of the Society was holden in S. Paul's Sunday School Room, on the evening of Monday the 7th of April, 1851; the Rev. Dr. McVicar, President of the Society, being in the chair. The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved.

The Quarterly Report of the Committee was then read by the Rev. Mr. Elmendorf. Besides the usual matters, it announced the election of Mr. Wm. H. Walter as a member of the Society, and that of the Rev. Solon W. Manney, of Milwaukie, Ill., as a life-member. The Committee have confided to one of their number the supervision of the manufacture of Church Plate; and all crders sent to him in that line, can be executed more economically, as well as more correctly, than in any other mode short of importation from England. They have taken measures to procure a large accession to their stock of designs from the Society in England. The Committee have determined to issue a Report, to be the first of an Annual Series and which will contain an address from the President, as well as a variety of other matter. They proposed a number of alterations in the laws, and requested the action of the Society thereon. They also announced that Mr. Charles Congdon had been added to the Committee.

On motion, the new members were confirmed.

An original paper was then read by Mr. George L. Duykinck, on The Plastic nature of Pointed Architecture. Mr. Duykinck began by alluding to the vivid and yet varied impression produced upon the tourist in Europe, by beholding such an infinite variety of detail and general expression in carrying out the same fundamental ideas which are embodied in every cathedral. One after another is passed in review, yet so distinct and peculiar is the character of each, that one could no more confound Westminster and York Minster, or Exeter and Salisbury, or Winchester and Gloucester, than we could mistake Napoleon Bonaparte and George Washington. Whence was all this variety? from whim, love of novelty, the trafficking spirit of composition? The reason was the same as that which caused the difference between Hamlet and Macbeth, Lear and Othello; the Fairy Queen and Paradise Lost. Men of mind were at work, whose genius was not exhausted by a single effort: uniting great originality, with great patience and enduring labour, and a thorough systematic education in their art. The sculpture of the Middle Ages would alone afford material for a volume, which had yet to be written. It had a distinct character of its own, tending to spiritualize, not sensualize, the feelings. It rose far above the sensual graces of nudity, such as the heathen Venus, to the perfect expression of Christian purity, as in Her, who was "Blessed among women." The endless variety of Pointed architecture was not only seen in the difference of building from building, but in rich profusion in the different parts of the same edifice. Nor was it only in cathedrals and great churches, but even the smallest and humblest had also their share. The reason of this was that machinery was not yet invented.