173 
NATURE NOTES. 
wrought-iron work as a national art wherewith to embellish her unrivalled parks 
and beautiful gardens. At one time it seemed as if it were to be so, as is testified 
by the iron scroll-work wrought by ordinary smiths, specimens of which may be 
seen at South Kensington and elsewhere. We shall probably never reach that 
pitch of enthusiasm which makes the inhabitants of Antwerp regard as one of 
their most precious treasures the iron well-cover executed by Quinten Massys, 
The least we may do is to guard from destruction the valuable examples of wrought- 
iron work which we have. Mr. C. J. Lauder, R. S. W. , makes the following forcible 
appeal for this protection in the R. and T. T. : — “ I notice a number of fine old 
gates in wrought iron in Richmond and the surrounding neighbourhood, from 
Teddington to Mortlake, all of them, with one or two exceptions, showing signs 
of neglect and ill-treatment. Some are rusting to death, and past repairing, their 
bars and scrolls twisted and broken, and the leaf-work gone ; others are not quite 
so bad, and still capable of preservation. I seek to interest you and your fellow 
Selbornians, and in that way the estate agents and owners having these relics in 
their charge, by calling attention to them in your columns, in the hope that some- 
thing may be done to save some of them at least from further injury. I do not 
claim for them the excellence of the best Flemish or Italian work, nor great 
antiquity. Of their historical associations I know nothing, but judging from other 
things, some of them must be very rich in that way. I view them solely from an 
artistic point of view, and so regarded many of them are very precious. All of 
them are fair examples of the work of a time (not very remote) when the worker 
was still a craftsman, and before he had begun to sin in cast iron. 
“ Trim flower beds, freshly-painted windows, and well-pointed brick are too 
commonly seen in conjunction with a badly-used gate — not the least valuable 
thing on the holding — slobbered with paint or boarded up. Now boarding up 
is the unkindest cut of all ; these gates are all meant to be seen through, just like 
a piece of good stained glass. 
You must be familiar with the lovely old screen on what is called the Water 
Gallery at Hampton Court, facing the Jubilee Gate. I think the guides say it is 
the only one now in situ of nine that once graced the Royal Park, but half the 
crown is gone, and a moderately strong hand could shake it to pieces. One 
foliation lies hanging over from the top bar, and has hung there for more than a 
year, and will fall yet and be carried away. The leaf work in one of the ovals 
is down, and could be poked through with a stick. Some glimmerings of its 
value seem to have dawned on its keeper, for here and there a rusty wire links a 
falling leaf to its scroll. I think this gate is attributed to Shaw, of Huntingdon, and 
some of its companions are to be seen in the South Kensington Museum. I fear this 
one is past saving ; ‘ weeded and worn,’ beautiful in death, a prayer and a poem 
in one. 
“This gate is national property, and I think the Selborne Society ought to- 
look after it.” [We believe the active Lower Thames Valley Branch are engaged 
in carrying out this suggestion.] 
The Coming Folk-lore Congress. — Members of the Selborne Society 
have displayed so much interest in the subject of folk-lore that we do not doubt 
that many of them will take the opportunity of attending the International Folk- 
lore Congress to be held October ist to 7th, at the rooms of the Society of 
Antiquaries, Burlington House, Piccadilly. The opening address is to be given, 
on the ist of October, by Mr. Andrew Lang, who holds a reception of the 
members of the Congress that evening. On other days the Chairmen of the 
Sections, Mr. Sidney Hartland, Prof. John Rhys, and Sir Frederic Pollock will 
give addresses, and there will be a very interesting conversazione on the evening 
of the 5th of October, to which members of the Congress will be admitted free, 
and friends of members upon payment of a small sum. '1 here will be an enter- 
tainment comprising an English mumming play, children’s games, sword dance, 
savage music and folk songs. It is further proposed to arrange an exhibition of 
objects connected with and illustrative of folk-lore, which it is hoped will form the 
nucleus of a folk-lore museum, likely to prove of permanent interest and value. 
Tickets of membership of the Congress at the extremely low price of half-a- 
guinea may still, we believe, be obtained from the Hon. Sec., Mr. J. J. Foster, 
Oflfa House, Upper Tooting, who will supply any further particulars which may be 
desired. 
