37 
s¢ Another peculiarity of this brooch, not hitherto found in 
any other specimen of the kind, is the attached chain, unfortu- 
nately broken, which was intended to keep the pin tight, and 
in its proper position. This chain, whicli is of silver, is of that 
peculiar construction usually known as the Trichinopoly work ; 
but it is not the only example of the manufacture of such chains 
in Ireland which has fallen under my notice, and which I be- 
lieve to be examples of art of a very considerable antiquity. 
‘« Tt is scarcely necessary to call attention to the beautiful 
taste in design exhibited in the various ornamental patterns 
with which this work is overlaid, and which are not, as usual, 
confined to the front or exposed side, but almost equally enrich 
its reverse; nor is it necessary to call attention to the beauty 
of workmanship exhibited in the execution of these ornaments; 
but to appreciate fully the perfection of this beauty, the orna- 
ments must be studied through a lens of no moderate power: 
and thedrawings on an enlarged scale, which I hold in my hand, 
and which have been made by Mr. Nelson, the very intelligent 
conductor of Mr. Waterhouse’s business, will assist the Aca- 
demy in tracing the various designs of the ancient artistic work- 
man. 
‘¢ Of these designs or patterns it has been found that there 
are no less than seventy-six varieties, all of which exhibit an 
admirable sense of ornamental beauty, and a happy fitness for 
their relative situations; and it should be observed that in all 
the smaller ornaments the only fastening used to keep them 
in their places is a delicate bur, not perceptible to the naked 
eye. In other places, however, and particularly in the circu- 
lar insertions of amber, the gold rosettes placed upon them are 
fastened by pins, which pass through the brooch, and are rivet- 
ted also, on the opposite side. 
“ It should be observed, that the insertions of amber and - 
variegated glass are not of unusual occurrence in the remains 
_ preserved to us of the jewellery art in Ireland ; nor is the ex- 
