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sculpture of the t3mipanum over the south door. By the 

 kindness of Mr. Inman, I have a very small photograph of it, 

 but as there is a large porch in front of the door the tym- 

 panum is very little displayed. It is well known that 

 Norman architectm-e is only a modified form of Roman 

 architecture. In fact, the pictorial ornamentation which 

 belonged to the pediment of the Roman temple was trans- 

 ferred to the tympanum of the south door of the Norman 

 church. Now, on the one at Malmesbury you have the figure 

 of our Saviour, in the well known pointed oval (instead of the 

 circular wreath) which formed the medallion of Christian art. 

 Our Saviour is enthroned, and on each side is an angelical 

 figure, which strikingly brings to mind the part assigned 

 to the supporting Victorys. Besides, it is so like the 

 sculpture at Bath, that one can hardly help thinking that 

 there is a relationship or pedigree between one and the 

 other. The work at Malmesbury may have been of the 

 eleventh century ; that at Bath must be, I suppose, of the 

 third or very early in the fourth century, which makes you 

 realise what long gaps there are in the pedigree of the family 

 of art. In conclusion, I wish to draw attention to the owl 

 and helmet of Minerva, forming part of the bus relief, which 

 represents, with great propriety, the local associations of 

 Bath — the place were Sul-Minerva was worshipped. 



The serpents also in the hair contain a double allusion to 

 Minerva. For in the first place they represent the snaky 

 hair of the Gorgo, whose head was borne on Minerva's segis ; 

 and in the second place, the serpent was no less than the owl 

 an ancient symbol of the goddess. Once when Demosthenes 

 was disgusted with the Athenians, he told them in a sort of 

 half-angry banter, that he wondered at their dear goddess ; 

 that she should have chosen to take under her protection 

 three such queer things as the snake, the owl, and the 

 democratic populace. 



