VOL. XXIV.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 263 



loadstone ; and the middle, and an inch or more on each side, were attracted by 

 the pole only that touched it. 



Concerning a Roman Inscription lately found at York, &c. By Mr. Ralph 

 Thoresby, F.R.S, N° 303, p. 2145. 



The Roman monument lately discovered at York was found in digging a cel- 

 lar in Coning-street, not far from the Roman wall and multangular tower, de- 

 scribed by Dr. Lister, in N° 149. This monument, dedicated to the genius or 

 tutelar deity of the place, is not of that coarse rag, as most of the Roman 

 monuments are, but of the finer grit, like the altar at the Lord Fairfax's house 

 in York; it is 21 inches long, and 11 broad, and is inscribed genio loci feli- 

 ciTER. There was a larger stone found near it, but without any inscription ; 

 nor is there upon either of them the representation of a serpent, or a young 

 visage, by both which the ancients sometimes described these dij topici. 



The author of this votive monument seems to have had the same superstitious 

 veneration for the genius of York as those at Rome had for theirs, whose name 

 they were prohibited to utter, or inquire after; hence it is that upon their coins 

 the name of this deity is never expressed, but in a more general manner by 

 genius p. r. or Pop. Rom. I have such a one of Constantius, minted at Lon- 

 don, as appears by the exerg. lon. under the effigies of that deity, with a patera 

 in the right hand, and cornucopia in the left, inscribed genio populi romani. 

 I rather instance in that of this emperor, the father of Constantine the Great, 

 because he made York his imperial seat, and was here deifyed; the medal of 

 whose apotheosis I also have, minted at the same place, and inscribed memoria 

 FELIX. As the genius of the city of Rome was expressed by g. p. r. so was the 

 genius of the commonwealth, in a most sordid flattery, by that of the emperor, 

 who they pretended to be their happy genius. I have one even of Nero, and 

 not only after his quinquennium, but also the year after he had laid most of the 

 city in ashes; yet by the express order of the senate, inscribed genio augusti. 

 s. c. Some of the fathers have therefore justly reproached the Romans for 

 paying a greater veneration to the genii of their emperors than to Jupiter their 

 supreme god. This custom of deifying the genii, and that of assigning gods 

 for defence of particular cities is very ancient, as appears by what the prophet 

 Jeremiah saith of revolting Judah, " According to the number of thy cities are 

 thy gods." 



j4n Account of some Roman Coins found at Clifton^ near Edlington, in Yonk- 

 shire. By Mr. Ralph Thoresby, F.R.S. N° 303, p. 21 49. 



These coins were dug up at the east entrance of Clifton, 3 miles from Don- 



