288 ANTIQUITIES OF SELBORNE, 



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 rejected 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. 



