6o2 



NA TURE 



[October 17, 1901 



at length by the late Sir James Paget in one of his most 

 felicitous speeches. In iSgt! he delivered at Charing 

 Cross Hospital the Huxley Lecture, in the English 

 language. 



Prof. Virchow has from very early in his career devoted 

 considerable attention to practical hygiene and anthro- 

 pology. His work upon prehistoric cave-men and Swiss 

 lake dwellings may be taken as a type of the thorough- 

 ness with which he accomplished anything he undertook. 

 Last, but not least, the great pathologist was, and indeed 

 is, a politician of no mean order. He entered the 

 Chamber in 1862 and served there till 1S78. His work 

 as a politician was devoted to the cause of liberty and 

 truth, and even those who did not agree with his doctrines 

 were unanimous in their respect of his motives. 



It is sincerely to be hoped that the aged Professor may 

 for many years to come continue his valuable work, and 

 to all students of science no item of the varied programme 

 of the \'irchow celebration was more welcome than the 

 astonishing vigour and youthful earnestness with which 

 the object of their congratulations for two hours, addressed 

 them. F. W. T. 



THE RECENT WORK AT STONEHENGE. 



A T a meeting held last March at Stonehenge and 



-'^ attended by representatives of the Society of 



Antiquaries, of the Society for the Protection of .Ancient 



Monuments and the Wiltshire Archaeological Society, 



Resolutions. 

 (i) That this Committee approves of the suggested 

 protection of Stonehenge by a wire fence not less than 

 4 ft. high, following on two sides the existing roads and 

 crossing on the west from the 331 -foot level on the north 

 road to the 332-foot level on the south road shown on the 

 O.S. map (1-2, 500), Wilts sheet liv. 14. 



(2) That the Committee recommends, without prejudice 

 to any legal question, that the local authorities be re- 

 quested to agree to divert the existing track-way or 

 ridge-way from Netheravon now passing through the 

 earth circle so as to pass from the 302-foot levels in the 

 O.S. mrip immediately west of Stonehenge. 



(3) That stones 6 and 7 with their lintel, and stone 56 

 (according to the numbering on Mr. Petrie's plan) be first 

 examined, with a view of maintaining them in a position 

 of safety. 



(4) That, in the opinion of this Committee, stone 22 

 should be replaced, stone 21 be made safe, and the lintel 

 of 2 1 and 22 be replaced in the most safe and conservative 

 manner. The Committee also recommends the re- 

 erection of stones 57 and 58, and their hnt.-l 158. 



(5) That the instructions to custodians already in force 

 be approved with a few suggested alterations. 



(6) That this Committee feels that it is impossible to 

 overstate the value of the assistance which the County 

 Council of Amesbury can give to the efforts made to 

 preserve this unique monument. 



(7) That these resolutions be sent to Sir Edmund 



: Stonehenge, Raising ttie leaning s 



various plans and measures were discussed and sug- 

 gested for the better preservation of Stonehenge. The 

 whole state of the surrounding neighbourhood being 

 changed from its former quietude by the introduction of 

 new elements, such as tlie military camps at Bulford, &c , 

 the making of the new branch line of the South-Western 

 Railway (from Grateley to Amesbury), it became neces- 

 sary to meet the altered circumstances by the exercise of 

 greater precautions for the care of the beautiful old Sun 

 Temple standing in the midst of the grass-clothed downs 

 —■A thing of wonder and mystery to behold. The advice 

 given to Sir Edmund Antrobus by the representatives 

 of these societies was as follows, published in the Times 

 of April 3. 



NO. 1668 VOL. 64] 



Antrobus with the earnest thanks of the Committee, for 

 the part he is proposing to take in the preservation of 

 Stonehenge, also that it be left to him to communicate with 

 the Press. 



The fence was erected by Whitsuntide and is 1700 yards 

 in circumference and composed of lightest barbed wire 

 of a neutral tint and absolutely invisible at a distance, 

 so that the traveller gets the whole effect of Stonehenge 

 in its full grandeur instead of, as in former days, the 

 view of the stones mmgled with two or three flys, a cart, 

 an old waggonette, and photographer's van, \c., to say 

 nothing of picnic luncheons, spread out within the sacred 

 circle. This fence encloses as large an area as possible. 



