made various communications. He was a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, and was, soon after his election, named a vice-president. To their "Transactions" in the Archæologia, in 1847, he gave a brief sketch of the excavations made by him at Borough Field; also of those undertaken at Hadstock, where the remains of a villa were discovered; and to this memoir Mr. C. R. Smith appended an account of the British coins found at Chesterford in 1845. A second paper in the Archæologia' gives the examination of a group of barrows, five in number, in Cambridgeshire, in what is known as the "Five Hill Field." He examined nine tumuli, eight of which were decidedly funereal; and one in the neighbourhood also, which partook of the same character. In these he found several human skeletons, the skull of a badger, horns of the roebuck, bones of a horse, bronze buckle, light red pottery, cinerary vases, incense burner in pottery, iron pike-head, snails' shells, and coins of Marcus Aurelius, Antoninus, and Victorinus.

To the Journal of the Archæological Institute he also latterly made several communications, and he was a vice-president of their body. Of the Archæological Society of Essex, he became, upon the decease of John Disney, Esq., the president; and he contributed notes on Roman Essex to their "Transactions." His collections at Audley End are very valuable to the archæologist. There are numerous examples of Roman and Saxon antiquities, and they are well arranged. The numismatic cabinet is of importance, and the collection of rings extensive and interesting. In the acquisition of these, the late lord exhibited much taste and feeling; and one of the productions of his pen, not the least deserving of notice, is a discourse he delivered at a meeting of the Literary Society of Saffron Walden, called the Romance of the Ring; or the History and Antiquity of Finger Rings, which he privately printed, and in which he describes no less than two hundred and sixty-three examples. It is gratifying to be enabled to state that, by his will, his collections are directed to be preserved at Audley End, to illustrate ancient arts and manners. They will, therefore, constitute a lasting monument of the zeal and intelligence of the antiquary who, under the pressure of many infirmities, occupied himself in the investigation of national antiquities and the archæological illustration of his own birthplace.

The Rev. FRANCIS H. WILKINSON, M.A., incumbent of West Ashton, Wilts, was the younger son of the late Henry Wilkinson, Esq., of White Webbs Park, Enfield, Middlesex, and of Clapham Common, Surrey. He joined our Association in 1858, but never contributed to our Journal. He died at the early age of forty, on the 14th of May.

SAMUEL LEIGH SOTHEBY was well known to us all as one actively engaged in pursuits connected with literature and the fine arts.

The

eminence of the firm with which he was connected, for the dispersion by sale of works of art and some of the most distinguished libraries of the age, gave to him abundant opportunities of acquiring information; and, inheriting a taste from his father, in regard to the earlier objects of typographical literature, he was enabled to carry out his parent's desire, and ultimately to publish one of the most valuable productions of the day, to those who are interested in the history of the art of printing. One of Mr. Sotheby's earliest productions consisted of a folio volume, published in 1840, having for its title, "Unpublished Documents, Marginal Notes, and Memoranda, in the Autograph of Philip Melanchthon and of Martin Luther. With numerous Fac-similes, accompanied with Observations upon the Varieties of Style in the Handwriting of these illustrious Reformers." This was inscribed to his constant friend, the late Samuel Butler, Bishop of Lichfield. Mr. Sotheby was excited to this publication by a remarkable library consigned for sale in this country, collected by Dr. Kloss of Frankfort, a well known bibliographer, in whose library was found a volume containing a manuscript note with the signature of Melanchthon attached:

"Nulla dies abeat quin linea ducta supersit.

"PH. MELANCHTHON." The character of the writing led Mr. Sotheby to the examination of other volumes in the collection, and his labours were amply repaid by the discovery of a large quantity of notes made by the great reformer from an early period of his life. Doubts in the minds of several justly entitled to be esteemed authorities in such a matter, induced Mr. Sotheby himself to become the purchaser of the greater number of the volumes with manuscript notes, rather than have attributed to him a desire improperly to enhance the value of a property entrusted to him for sale. He afterwards devoted his leisure to the most critical examination of these volumes, and the results obtained are given in the work I have mentioned. It offers an example of great assiduity and discernment on the part of Mr. Sotheby, and constitutes a valuable contribution towards the illustration of the character of one whose opinions have exercised so great an influence upon the Christian world, and so materially tended to establish the Protestant Reformation. In thirty-four plates containing innumerable specimens of Melanchthon's writing and artistic illustrations, copies of initials, and various facetiæ in Greek, Latin, German, in language and in numerals, it is, perhaps, worthy of remark that Melanchthon signed his name in no less than sixty different ways in his correspondence previous to 1545, as given in the volumes of the Corpus Reformatorum, edited by Professor Bretschneider. Mr. Sotheby gives a plate in which they are arranged according to the date of the several documents from which they have been taken. Mr. Sotheby has also enriched his volume with fac-similes of Melanchthon's writing, from

letters deposited in the British Museum, Royal Library of Munich, and private collections, forming altogether a body of evidence in regard to the reformer's writing, sufficient to dispel any uncertainty that may arise in future times as to the genuine character of his autograph.

An important work, the labours of many years, appeared in 1858 (in 3 vols. imperial 4to.), the title of which is, "Principia Typographica. The Block-Books; or Xylographic Delineations of Scripture History, issued in Holland, Flanders, and Germany, during the Fifteenth Century, exemplified and considered in Connexion with the Origin of Printing. To which is added an Attempt to elucidate the Character of the PaperMarks of the Period: a Work contemplated by the late Samuel Sotheby, and carried out by his Son, Samuel Leigh Sotheby." The whole impres sion of this work (two hundred and fifteen copies) was sold off at once, no copy being permitted to be disposed of under the price of nine guineas. Mr. Sotheby's object in this work was, not gain, but fame, and the performance of a filial duty. He was contented to save himself from serious loss, and at the same time to be enabled to present copies to various learned bodies. It is a most interesting work, exhibiting specimens of the most celebrated printers of antiquity, together with the several watermarks of the paper employed by them. Mr. Sotheby, sen., contemplated this volume as far back as 1814, and its preparation was proceeded in by him until 1842. I feel much interested in the subject, having examined and collated many of the original works with both father and son, whilst engaged in the formation of the late Duke of Sussex's library. This enables me also to accord my testimony as to the exactitude of the Messrs. Sotheby's labours. Specimens of the Principia Typographica were printed and privately distributed in 1857, consisting of the surplus copies of the plates, and forming a volume for useful reference; with remarks on the history of printing, block-books, water-marks, etc.

The last production of importance by our deceased associate, was one of which, unfortunately, he did not live long enough to witness its publication and dispersion. It is of a description such as might be expected to result from his enthusiastic nature, and the direction it had received from his previous investigation in regard to the handwriting of Melanchthon. It is entitled Ramblings in the Elucidation of the Autograph of Milton, a volume of three hundred pages, imperial 4to., splendidly printed, and illustrated not only with fac-similes of the great poet's writing, but also with photographic engravings of his portrait taken at different periods of his life.

As in the case of Philip Melanchthon, so in that of John Milton, accident led Mr. Sotheby to the pursuit of his inquiry. In 1858 his attention was called to what was esteemed a genuine signature of Milton appended to a deed in the collection of the late Mr. Singer, and now in the possession of our respected and highly gifted associate, Mr. R. Monckton

Milnes, M.P. Mr. Sotheby has, however, shewn that at the date of this instrument, the poet was blind; and that the writing corresponds with that of part of the well known manuscript, De Doctrina Christianá, discovered by Mr. Lemon, Deputy Keeper of the State Papers in 1823. The deed bears date, May 7, 1660, and is a conveyance from John Milton, of the city of Westminster, of a bond for £400 given by the Commissioners of Excise to Cyriack Skinner of Lincoln's Inn, gent.

As to the amanuensis of Milton in the De Doctrinâ Christianâ, Mr. Lemon conjectured the first part, which is in a small, beautiful hand, to have been that of his second daughter, Mary; the remainder is in a totally different hand, of strong character, resembling that of E. Phillips, one of Milton's nephews. Mr. Lemon, however, lived to change his opinion, and became satisfied that the first part, and the whole of the copies of the "State Letters," were in the handwriting of Daniel Skinner. An examination of the handwriting of Skinner, and comparison of it with that of the manuscript of the Doct. Christ., cannot fail, I think, to satisfy any one of their identity.

Our late associate, Mr. Dawson Turner, also possessed what was regarded as a genuine autograph of Milton, being a receipt, in 1669, for the payment of the third five pounds from Simmons for the copyright of the Paradise Lost. Presuming that neither Mr. Singer's nor Mr. Turner's signatures were real autographs of Milton, Mr. Sotheby commenced a rigid examination of all the known writings of the poet, or connected with his manuscripts. The universities of Cambridge and Oxford offered abundant evidence as to the real calligraphy of Milton, and in plate XVII of the Ramblings Mr. Sotheby has given a fac-simile of ten pages from the Miltonian volume in the library of Trinity College, Cambridge.

It appears that in 1650, Milton's failure of sight became seriously embarrassing, amounting almost to blindness, and that he thus employed an amanuensis. In 1652 he was totally blind. It is unnecessary to pursue the subject further, Mr. Sotheby may be said to have exhausted it.

We have nothing to record as contributions to the pages of our Journal, from our lost associate; but I cannot forbear referring to a remark which occurs in the introduction to the work I have last described, and which bears the date of June 1, 1861. In this passage Mr. Sotheby expresses the gratification he anticipates from the company of archæologists in an examination of Dartmoor. He had proposed to me that, at the conclusion of our Congress at Exeter, we should assemble at his residence at Buckfastleigh Abbey, Devon, and then pass a few days on the moors, making a complete investigation of its character and antiquities. In this we were to be furnished with vans, camp-equipage, and all appliances necessary to the enjoyment of such relaxation and the passing of a night or two on the moor. He liberally offered to take the whole expense upon himself, and was enthusiastic in the idea he enter

tained. This dream, alas! was not to be realized; and the circumstances connected with his decease were very distressing. In apparently good health, he had, after lunching with his family on the 19th of June, started, as was his custom, for a ramble near the abbey ruins, and the next morning his body was found in the river Dart, in very shallow water. His health had been often in a very precarious condition, and he had suffered greatly from bronchitis in a severe form. To my own knowledge there were threatening symptoms of consumption; from these, however, he had by great care and attention to atmospheric conditions, wonderfully recovered; but he was occasionally liable to fainting fits, and it is conceived that, attacked by one of these when on the brink of the river, he had fallen into the water. Thus was his existence terminated at the age of fifty-five. He was an amiable man, of warm feelings and benevolent disposition; anxious to promote all objects of usefulness, to increase the knowledge of mankind, and to add to the general happiness of his fellow creatures. He leaves behind him, to lament his loss, a wife and three children. It is a matter of no little satisfaction to us that, to manifest the regard with which he esteemed this Association, his highly gifted and intellectual partner has expressed her desire to have her name enrolled, in the place of her departed husband, as an associate of our body.

WILLIAM NEWTON was an associate from the year 1846, and occasionally attended our meetings and our congresses. He was possessed of good general information, and whatever he undertook he pursued with a zeal which went far to ensure success. My acquaintance with him dates from a distant period, inasmuch as he formed one of a small body of juvenile philosophers who met for their mental improvement, and exercised their powers by the delivery of lectures and holding discussion upon subjects most congenial to their tastes. Seeing that Mr. Newton succeeded to his father, well known for his knowledge of land surveying, levelling, and mechanical drawing, also in the construction of globes, it is not surprising that I should have listened to his discourses on optics, astronomy, and geography; and I now speak of a period so far back as 1808 and 1809. My course of study and pursuits removed me from the scene of Mr. Newton's exertions; and our acquaintance was not renewed until accident brought us together upon occasion of an antiquarian gathering, when I enlisted him into our body. We are indebted to him for some communications which are deserving of a passing notice.

In the fourth volume of our Journal1 we find that he exhibited to the Association some drawings of Roman fictile vessels found in excavating a river, by Mr. Waldock of Stotford Mill, Herts. The vases were numerous, both large and small, found about five feet beneath the sur

1 P. 72.