226 
coi 
the fubjects they reprefent. The Mofaics 
of Pranefte or Paleiirina, and thofe of the 
Palace of Nero, are highly celebrated.— 
The ancient, temples which, belonged to 
the Chriitians con‘ain many cenaments 
ot this. defeription ; and among them a 
variety of curious objects, of great utility 
in the ftudy of ecclefiaftical antiquities. 
6.—The Vales are interefting, both on 
account of the beauty of their forms and 
of the fubje&ts which are figured on them. 
Thole of the largeft dimenfions were def- 
tined. to receive. the votes. when the fuf- 
frages were taken ; others were employed 
for.civil ufages ; others, again, for reli- 
gious tfages ; and the fmalleft were mere- 
ly play-things for children. We do not 
poflefs: any of thofe beautiful vafes of por- 
phyry,) or Therieléan vafes, which were ' 
{a. celebrated: among the ancients; but: 
many. of the fine cups of agate, fardonyx, 
alabafters jaiper, granite, porphyry, eryl- 
tal, and white orcoloured glafs, are ftill 
in exiftence.) The mofointercfting of the 
vales, and the moft-ulefal, as well to) the: 
hifory of theart asin the explanation of 
‘the fables, cultoms, and ufages, are thofe: 
anciently, fabricated of: potter's earth in 
the Campagna of Rome,iand either turned 
or modellediby Greek artatts.. They have 
been improperly denominated) Etrufean 
vafes, for this reafon, that few. of them, 
comparatively. fpeaking, out of the great 
number which are met with, are found in 
‘Etruria. Our attention is drawn:to the 
variety of the forms, to.the nature of the 
earth, to that of the glazingor enamel, and 
tothe fubje&s which thele vafts reprefent. 
7.—The Inftruments, whether civil, re- 
ligious, or military, of different nations, to 
be found in-a,greater or lefs number in 
the cabinets, are highly inftructiveand in- 
terefting, infomuch as they contribute to 
illu@rate the ancient authors, and to throw 
new lights on hiftery.. They. confift: of 
the utenfils employed in the facrifices, of 
the Lares or houfehold gods, of lamps, 
urns, lachrymatories, armours, bracelets,’ 
and ornaments and trinkets of every. de- 
{cription. 
3.—I have alreadytouched on the im- 
menfe utility of medals in the ftudy of: 
geography, chronology, the hittory of the 
events of nations, cities, empires, and| 
kings, and that of the difterentdciences.— 
We find on them whatever is defcribed on 
the other monuments ; they enabie.us to 
afcertain the weights and meafures of the 
ancients; and, finally, it may be faid, that 
in thefes numifmatic treafures all the 
knowledge of antiquities is concentrated. 
 g.—The monuments, of the different: 
Introdu€tion to the Study of Archeohgys | 
‘ 
[April 1, 
clafles of which we have thus taken a fur- 
vey, frequently contain infcriptions, which 
it is. neceflary to be able--to read and ex- 
plain, toderive any advantage from them. 
Accordingly it is by their-help. alone that 
we are enabled to trace to their crigin the 
different kinds of writing. Thus,. to 
comprehend the hieroglyphical writing of 
the Eeyptians, the anuquary examines the 
obelifks and ftatues, feeking, at the fame 
time, on the wrappers of the mummies a 
few traces of their eurfve writing, in 
which conventional characters were intro- 
duced aad blended: with the emblematical 
figures. The Etrufcan monuments, and 
the Pheenician infcriptions and medals, 
render us familiar with the alphabet of 
thofe countries. A fedulous enquiry is 
made after: the marbles and ftones on- 
which in{criptions are found, becaule hif- 
tory is indebted to them for its moftim~ 
portant’ illuftrations. The writings on 
the Egyptian papyrus, and:thole in{crib=" 
edronrolls of parchment; {uch as are found 
at Herculaneum, become Jikewile the fub- 
jeCtrof inquiry ; and, laftly, the Runic mo- 
numents and Mexican paintiogs are fub- 
je€ted to the fcrutiny of the: antiquary.— 
On account of the utility. of inferiptions, 
they have been formed: into’ differen: 
clafles: “The manner of reading them: hasi 
laid the foundations of a fcience: which, 
when it merely refers to lapidaryewriting, 
is ftyled. Paleography’; bat! whem it em. 
braces that of titles, charters, and: di-. 
plomas;,.is entitled Diplomatics, 
Such are the different branches of the: 
archeological fcience: It is: eafy to per+ 
ceive that each of them requires) much» 
preliminary labour and application. 
(19 be Continued } 
ccs 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
The PRESENT STATE of SOCIETY, MAN= 
NERS, Gc. at TAUNTON. 
(Continued from Vol. XVI. p. 327-) 
NHERE are five places of worfhip 
| belonging to the Diffenters:of dif- 
ferent denominations inthis town. Ther 
oldeft and largeft food, or was firltieretted) 
in 1672, during the refpite from a: ftate 
of perfecution, enjoyed under the indul~ 
gence given by Charles II. This ftruc~. 
ture relembled the form of a Roman’ capi- 
tal T. Its front extendéd fixtystwo feet. 
As it was much decayed, it was. pulled 
down a few years fince, and an handfome,. 
new ftruéture, meafuring about fixty- feet: 
by fifty, was buile on the fame {cite by — 
the fab{criptions of the congregation,.and) 
eipecially by the generofty of one mem= 
ber, and opened in the fummer of 3'798- 
‘ 
