26o THE ANTIQUITIES 



servation. Silver and gold these inquirers expected to 

 find ; but their discoveries consisted solely of many 

 hundreds of Roman copper-coins, and some medallions 

 all of the lower empire. There was not much virtu 

 stirring at that time in this neighbourhood ; however, 

 some of the gentry and clergy around bought what pleased 

 them best ; and some dozens fell to the share of the 

 author. 



The owners at first held their commodity at an high 

 price ; but, finding that they were not likely to meet with 

 dealers at such a rate, they soon lowered their terms, and 

 sold the fairest as they could. The coins that were re- 

 jected became current, and passed for farthings at the 

 petty shops. Of those that we saw, the greater part were 

 of Marcus Aurelius, and the Empress Faustina, his wife, 

 the father and mother of Commodus. Some of Faustina 

 were in high relief, and exhibited a very agreeable set 

 of features, which probably resembled that lady, who was 

 more celebrated for her beauty than for her virtues. The 

 medallions in general were of a paler colour than the 

 coins. To pretend to account for the means of their 

 coming to this place would be spending time in conjecture. 

 The spot, I think, could not be a Roman camp, because 

 it is commanded by hills on two sides ; nor does it 

 show the least traces of entrenchments ; nor can I 

 suppose that it was a Roman town, because I have too 

 good an opinion of the taste and judgment of those 

 polished conquerors to imagine that they would settle 

 on so barren and dreary a waste. 



LETTER II 



That Selborne was a place of some distinction and note in 

 the time of the Saxons we can give most undoubted proofs. 

 But, as there are few if any accounts of the villages before 

 Domesday, it will be best to begin with that venerable 



