ANTIQUITIES OF NORTHUMBERLAND. 



" of water. As flie Hands upon this rock, or hill, and fo near to. 

 " this fpreading tree, I cannot but think of Horaces addrefs to 

 " her - 



*' Montium cuftos, nemorumque, Virgo. 



" The whole table is encompafled with a border, raifed near 

 " an inch high, and ornamented with a creeping vine ; the grape 

 " and leaves are in relievo, but the flalk only tooled. 



" The work of this curious piece is neither of the bcfl nor 

 " worft of times ; the figure of Vcfta particularly is extremely 

 " well executed, the poflure very free, the drapery {'oft and eafy ; 

 " and vv'hat is very remarkable, the Inftita or border, an orna- 

 " ment of theSto/a appropriated to the Roman ladies of quality, 



" Quarum fubfuta talos tegitinftita vcfle, Hor. 



" is neatly worked all round this our Vefta : nor is the next figure 

 " much inferior. I cannot, nor any body elfe that has feen it, 

 " difcover that the plan has any relation to any ftory in the Hea- 

 " then Mythology, but feems only an afTemblagc of the Deities 

 " it reprefents. This may be fome argument of its antiquity, for 

 " had a modern workman had the defigning of it, he would, in 

 " all probability, have taken fome known piece of hiftory for his 

 " fubjecl: to which I may add, that all the fymbols are genuine, 

 " and truly adapted to their owners. 



" I once thought it might have been the cover of an 

 " but the foot, which fupports it, puts an end to that furmife* 

 " We do not well know what the Anclabris was ; the definition of 

 " it is in Fejius, " Menfa divinis minifteriis apta^dicebanturautem 



"An- 



