The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1861-01-05 00:00:00

HISTORIC SOCIETY.

The first archeological meeting after the recess was
held in the Free Library, William Brown-street, on
Thursday evening, Joseph Mayer, Esq., V.P., in the
chair.

The following gentlemen were admitted as new
members :—Hermann Barr, Ph. D., 15, Sandon-street ;
George Jones, 36, Hanover-street; Edward Samuelson,
Huyton ; and John Wilson, 30, West Derby-street.
The donations included several volumes of transac-
tions and proceedings from other societies ; also, a small
and a large two-handled patera, a small lachrymatory,
and twenty-six coins, in copper and silver, from Saracenic
stations in Sicily, presented by Signor G. M. Ferri, of
Sicily. Dr. Kendrick also presented to the society a
copy of the Portland vase from the mould of Pickier,
the celebrated gem engraver, taken before the original
was broken. Even then it contained a fracture, which
Wedgewood notices, and this is shown in the present
case ; so that Mr. Franks and Mr. Syer Cute ping had
no difficulty in distinguishing thr former from the more
recent fractures.

The following interesting articles were exhibited by
Mr. Mayer :—A series oftgold torques, collars, rings, &c.,
foirnd in Ireland ; a collection of gold Etruscan orna-
ments, consisting of necklaces, ear-rings, unguentarias,
finger-rings, &c.; curious gold chasings, by Michael
Moser ; a chessman, made of the tooth of the sea horse,
about the middle of the sixteenth century, found whilst
working sewers in Salisbury in 1846 ; and an ivory
vase, of very elaborate workmanship, consisting of
carved flowers, insects, &c., taken as part of the " loot"
during the Indian mutiny.

Mr.II. ECROYD Smix exhibited a notable illustra-
tion of the revolving cycle of fashion, as shown in the
copperplate of a Doncaster tradesman, engraved just
a century ago, for imprinting his tobacco papers. Upon
one side are represented a couple of Indian youths stand-
ing upon tobacco barrels, and smoking away in the ap-
proved style, supporting a fancy shield-plate, inscribed,
" Francis Smith's Best Virginia." The reverse is re-
markable through its personating the " Virginia," by a
young belle of the period, in place of the " Virgin
Queen," thus supplying us with the fashionable head-
dress of that day, and also the mode of wearing the
frontal hair, which closely resembled the present one, and
even comprised the "killer," or " kiss-me-quick," now
in vogue both here and on the Continent, and presumed
to be quite a modern ornamental device. _ _ _

ThrOugh the kindness of Miss Smith, of Mersey-
terrace, Seacombe, an interesting historical relic. was
exhibited, viz., a portion of the hair of King Edward
IV., secured by one of the workmen when the vault and
leaden coffin of this monarch were accidentally dis-
covered, March 13th, 1789. The wooden coffin of his
queen (Elizabeth Woodville) bad evidently been placed
upon the leaden one of the king, but decayed fragments
of this, with the skull and a few bones, alone remained.
A. circumstantial account of the discovery and state of
these remains, with graphic illustrations, was published
by the Society of Antiquaries in the Vetusta lifonumcnta,
vol. 3.

Mr. Hughes described a curious volume, preserved
and highly prized in Anglesea, called " Llyfr y Bardd-
coch," never yet printed. It is frequently resorted to
to settle disputed boundaries, and contains a fine collec-
tion of pedigrees. One of these, showing his own
descent from Marchudd ap Tynan, Lord of Abergellan,
founder of the eigth royal tribe, was laid on the table.
Dr. KENDRICK exhibited an ancient document,
respecting a courier to William :—" To all
Postmars. in Scotland,—You are hereby required
to furnish ye bearer hereof, being a speciall mes-
sengr. to his platy. King William in Ireland, with
too able horses from stage to stage, to Portpatricke, he
paying ye Vsuall Raites, as you will answere ye con-
trary. Given undr. my hand at Carlile, June 29th,
1690, pr. John How." The distances stated under-
neath were very different from the present ones, the
miles being longer, and fewer in number, viz. :—" To
Annan 12 miles, Drumfreize 12, Stonehouse of Blackett
10, Gatehouse of Ffleet 14, Minigoffe 12, Gleuluce 12,
Portpatricke 10 ;" 82 in all.
The paper of the evening was by Mr. J. T. Towson,
F.R.G.S., on "Educational Tests of the Qualifications
of Candidates for Public Offices." He advocated
thoroughly the system of competitive examinations, for
though intellectual ability is not all that is required, it
is indispensable ; and even when candidates fail to per-
form all they wished they are better than most who
never tried. From January, 1853, to January, 1861,
a period of eight years, he had himself examined 8,176
persons in the ordinary subjects, and 47 in extra ones;
of the latter 21 passed,—but the 26 who failed, and
about 50 others who prepared for the extra examination
but eventually did not stand, were all far superior to
the ordinary men. Some curious instances of the effects
of mere patronage in past times were stated ; and it was
shown that even the members of the Royal family are
not exempted from the stringent rules of modern tunes.
After some discussion, in which Dr. Hume and others
took part, thanks were voted to Mr. Towson for his
valuable communication.

A paper from Mr. Buxton was expected, but that
gentleman was prevented from finishing it by illness.

LIVERPOOL POLICE couitT.—YEsiEmsAi

(Before Mr. RAFFLES.)
A LIKING fqR, PERFTURY.
• A very hide lOokidg „toting woman named Bridget
Doyle, was charged by Mr. CI-edift Ftfitbatiti thuggtst,
Church-street, Everton, with having stolen gdali
bottles of scent, and a silver thimble, belonging to Mrs.
Fairbarn. The prosecutor said the prisoner was in his
employment about a couple of months, and for the last
fartitiglit
.sefetal small things were missed. She got
notice to lettire., and on 'Mfrs* evening she was going,
when her Vol Wag gearab,ed in the Ititeteni and the
bottles, of ,perfumery, fOand:, tri one of het dresses,
Mrs. Fairbtitli got the _thirab7e. The *hie Of all the
things was about s's, The priiciiiei said Ale vie!s sent
. out of a message by her, mistress, and while she' Was
out her bila ffai brought out to the
.. kitchen. The
bob knew
,notltUtg about , the
bottles except- one, whidh ti bet'tde O4; Obi alleged
! that some one else pht the things in her box,Xedatise
, the mistress had A spite, to her. Mr. Raffles—For
what , Because she said T spoke had about her to
some you'll; filen: The,,lady waspalled, when she denied
having any spite towards the ptisoner,javd.s4id she did
not get a good character with her, and wds very, fmlish
in taking her. When she was only a short time in the
house, witness missed some small things out of a cup-
board, and she charged the prisoner with theft ;
she at first denied it, but after that confessed,
and asked , forgivness, and she was forgiven, and
after that thajprigOaet (diked to stinte young men on
waste gioutid in the locnlity, did ifittiOs,gitfe het notice
to leave. Of course .the lady
.denied. hating tint the
thfrigs in the p'itioner's Vol its was insinuated:.
,She got
the thiMble in 6p4 of the OtaO'her's dresses;, The kiriso-
ner again denied in the. radii energetic tom. is that she
had taken the things. She was ordered to be terliarided
for a week, but! the witnesses were told that they need
not attend again.