XVI 



being heavier than that which was warm, sank below the Gulf 

 Stream, which proceeded eastward with but slightly diminished 

 temperature. With regard to the mildness of climate on the 

 coast of Norway, Mr. Whitley held it to be due to a drift current 

 from the Gulf Stream, \yhich after striking that coast became a 

 true ocean current and kept the sea open as far as to Spitzbergen. 



The Laocoon. — Mr. H. M. Whitley, assistant secretary, 

 read the following letter from Mr. Walter H. Tregellas, of Iver 

 Cottage, Bromley Common, Kent : 



" Dear Sir; I have the pleasure of sending yon herewith a copy of a 

 wax impression from the Prior of Tywardreath's seal, which has lately re- 

 ceived so much attention. The circumstances of the case are briefly noted 

 on the accompanying descriptive card, for which, as well as for the wax im- 

 pression, your Institution will be indebted to that distinguished and most 

 courteous archfeologist, Mr. Albert Waj. The interest which attaches to 

 the seal is mainly due to the possibility of its having been used by the Prior 

 of Tywardreath, who had ' transactions with the Apostolic See under Leo 

 X,' before the discovery of the celebrated group of Laocoon and his sons on 

 the Esquiline, in 1512 ; and to its being an accurate representation of the 

 sculpture before it had been mutilated and subsequently inaccurately re- 

 stored. * Mr. King, who says it is an article of faith with him that ' no 

 fine gem work was without a more celebrated prototj^pe in statuary,' argues 

 from the internal evidence of the seal that it may perhaps be ascribed to 

 the two centuries commencing with the era of Lysippus and Pyrgoteles, — 

 that Lysippus, it is presumed, of whom we read that Alexander gave him 

 the sole right of making his statues, 326 B.C. Mr. King thinks that, in all 

 probability, it is the only true representation extant of that marvellous 

 sculpture which you will remember Pliny refers to as ' opus omnibus et pic- 

 toriffi et statuariffi artis praferendum.' As having been the private signet of 

 the taseful Cornish Prior, Thomas Colyns, it seemed to me that a copy of it 

 was well worthy of a place in the interesting Musemn at Truro ; and I have 

 had great pleasure, and little difficulty, in procimng it for the acceptance of 

 the Eoyal Institute of Cornwall ; to whom I beg you will be so good as to 

 present it, as from Mr. Albert Way." 



Mr. Smirke said that the impression exhibited by Mr. Tre- 

 gellas, and now in their hands, was an electrotype from a wax 

 seal, found by himself, attached to a document of the date of 

 Henry VIII, and purporting to be sealed by the last Prior of the 

 Cornish alien Priory of Tywardreath in this county, of which 

 very few vestiges now remained. It clearly represented the 

 antique group of Laocoon and his two sons, now forming one of 

 the most valued objects in the Museum of the Vatican at Eome. 

 It is known from contemporaneous history that the date of the 



* For the nature of the errors, see Archceological Journal, No. 93, 1867 ; 

 53. 



