some savage Chantrey or Bailhe. A 

 collection of these gathered together 

 at an Indian banc^uet must present a 

 most extraordinary picture. They 

 seem to evince, by the rudest indica- 

 tions, the dawning of the sculptor's 

 art ; displaying itself in the grotesque, 

 rather than in the sublime and beauti- 

 ful. These carvings, ridiculous as 

 they may appear— absurd as they are, 

 would form most imjjortant illustra- 

 tions to a history of human nature, 

 revealing the first bent of the savage 

 and untutored mind, and, like experience, serving as the 

 beacon light attached to the stern of Time's vessel, to 

 scatter light over the dark track of ages through which 

 we have noiselessly sped. 



Ranged along the walls are weapons and offensive 

 arms of every description. It is somewhat strange that, 

 in all uncivilized countries when first discovered, the 

 spirit of aggression seems uppermost, tlie principal 

 attention and skill being displayed in articles of de- 

 struction, rather than those of a more useful class. This 

 will be sufficiently apparent on tlie most cursory glance 

 being bestowed on tJie objects ; but, upon a closer ex- 

 amination, the trntli of tliis remark becomes manifest. 



The last, but not by any means least, object of curi- 

 osity in this room is the original manuscript of the 

 Great Charter (Magna Charta) granted by King John 

 to his subjects at Runnymede, June 15, 1215. The 

 authentic signature of the royal granter is attached; 

 I but, a s the art of yenmanshi]) liad not madi sucli pro- 



gress in those days as it has in ours, Ave can feel but 

 little surprise at the autograph being illegible. It was 

 made out in order to be lodged in the archives of some 

 great monastery or public office. Another of the origi- 

 nals of this celebrated Charter, corresponding with the 

 one before us, is preserved in the cathedral library at 

 Salisbury. This we hav^e here was procured by Sir 

 Robert Cotton in tlie reign of James I., when he was 



