The Express.
London, England, 1851-08-06 00:00:00

ARCILEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF GREAT

BRITAIN AND IRELAND.

BRISTOL, Aro. .
The chapter -room of the Bristol Cathe dral,4 in
which the meetings of the architectural section were held,
is not only of great antiquity, but is remarkable for the
beauty of its walls and ceiling, which afford unusually tine
specimens of the Salon style of architecture. It was not
unnatural that this erection should excite the admiration of
the members of the Institute, and accordingly Mr. Pope,
the city architect, undertook to state to the section what
little he knew about it.

Mr. rope explained the different condition which the i
building now presented from that which it wore when
he first became acquainted with it eighteen or twenty
years ago. When first he UM the room, • number of
old Dutch sashes were standing in various parts of it ; the
niches iu the centre part of the lower story did not exist ;
the floor, which war of deal boarding, stood considerably
above the present surface; and the doorway was much mu-
tilated. The first thing done, in restoring the room, wrie to
remove the wooden floor ; and, in doing so, a number of
leaden coffins were found, containing skeletons in a tine
unite of preservation; one of the heath!, a remarkable line
one, was taken away by a phrenologist fur examinution.
The three windows by which the room is at present lit were
then put in, and the whole surface of the walls were cleared
of the hard whitewash with which they were incrusted.
The room was gradually restored to the state in which it
now was; but great difficulty was at first experienced in
preserving it from being plastered again with whitewash,
and it was only by the assistance of the ltev. Canon Harvey
that such a desecration was prevented. There was no in-
scription seer on the coffin, to which he had alluded, nor
was anything ascertained by which • probable supposition
could he Memel as to whose bodies they enclosed; they
were of plain lead, and very thick. Mr. Pope also men-
tioned that many years ago he discovered some plinths and
bases of an old Norman nave, which, on the south side, ran
within the walls of the present cathedral ; and though no
excavation had been made on the north side, yet there was
no doubt it was co-extensive in that direction. It did not,
however, run very high, the latter, or Gothic structure
being erected over it.
An interesting paper was read by Mr. Bindon, "on the
desecrated churches and chapels of Bristol." The author
commeaced by observing, that although Bristol at the pre-
sent time contained a large number of churches, there hail
been, in ancient times, eighteen, of which tew, if any
traces existed. He then procetelnl to give the following
account of the state of Bristol at an early period of its
history :—Bristol, in its early form, is similar in place to
the majority of the early tonne It will be perceived that
Corn-street, Broad street, Wine and High streets formed a
cross; the smaller streets or lanes followed the curvation
of the wall. In the centre of the principal streets stood
the high cross, and at the corners of the streets formed
at their into rsection stood churches All-Saints or All Hal-
lows, Christ, or Trinity, St. Ewen, and St. Andrews. At
the other extremities of the four principal streets were the
four principal gates:—St. John and St. Lawrence, north;
St. Nicholas, south; Defence-gate, cast; and St. Leonard's,
west: attached to thole gates were churches. The only
churches, except those before-mentioned, were St. Mary-le.
l'urt, St. Werburgh's (probably St. p'eter's), within the
wall. 'the other churches were without the walls. The early
history of Bristol I pass over, excepting to remark that it is
closely connected which the Berkeley's and their castle,
hardly any edifice in the city or surrounding parishes but
what are in ROM; way or other associated. At the dissolu-
tion of the abbey need if not all the records of the abbey
were carried to Berkeley, and were deposited in the Chapel
of our Lathe, in the eastern tower of the keep. Mr. Sayer
says he acknowledges with thankfulness and pleasure the
kindnessof Colonel Berkeley (Earl litthardinge), in allow-
ing him access to examine every paper relating to Bristol.
'the several document*, which are most valuable, were
arranged, in 1628, by a Fellow of Magdalen, John Smythe.
The principal historians of Bristol are—Turgot (a Bristol
man), l'rior of Durham ; he wrote in 1088. His history is
dune from Saxon, by Itowlie, who wrote in 1469 ; William
Buttoner, 1431 ; Ricaut, Town clerk, 1470; Leland, 1534 ;
William Barrett, surgeon. F.S.A., 1789 ; Rev. Samuel
&Ice, M.A.' Corpus Chribti Oxford, 18'21; Bev. S. Danie-
-1 Ivey, 1831; Mr. Evans; John Corry, 1810; and several
others. Bristol abounds with numbers of M.S., Wenders
or chronicles relating to its early history. The paper then
proceeded to give such information as aus writer bad been
able to collect of the churches of St. Andrew, St. Andes,
Owen or E wens, Holy Trinity or Christ Church, St. Nicholas,
St. Leonard, St. Gile-, St. Lawrence, St. Werburgli, St.
Michael, St. Thomas.the-Martyr, St. Andrew's, L'iirton,
Chapel of the Virgin, Chapel of St. Clement, of the Three
Kings of Cologne, of the Holy Ghost, St. Mathias, St.
Sprites, Ice.
BILISTOL, AUCSIAT 5.
The sectional meetings were held this morning at the
Theatre of the Philosophical Institution, the Lord Talbot
de Malaltide presiding.
Mr. Yates submitted to the section a series of resolutions
empowering the central committee to use such efforts as
they might deem advisable for the purpose of procuring a
IT rant of a portion of the Crystal Palace, and a modicum of
its surplus funds to be applied to the formation of an ex-
tensive and classified collection of casts of sculpture,brunzes,
cameo.., &e. Mr. Yates said such a collection might with
proper exertions be finned, and it would doubtless prove
highly attractive and of great advantage to the cone
mutiny. The members of the institute must be aware
that Mr. Heywood, one of its body, brought forward in
the House of Commons a proposition that the Crystal
Palace should not be pulled down until the lst
of May, so as to afford time to collect the opinions
of the nation upon the question of to what
purpose the building should be devoted. That motion was
carried by a large majority, and all the speakers, including
the ministers of the crown, expressed a desire that the
public should express its views on the subject. They were
invited, therefore, to give utterance to their opinions, and
they would not, be thought, prove faithful to arehmology if
they failed to take the necessary steps for impressing on the
proper authorities the desirableness of the object which he
had now brought forward. Persons studying anything
haying relation to the classical antiquities found themselves
at a great loss in this country for want of illustrations and
objects on which they could rely. If they went to the
artists and dealers in Drury-lane and other parts of the
metropolis they not only entailed on themselves great
labour hut they very often failed in the a•tainment of the
object they sought. Supposing that they had re-
sort to any of the existing societies, they found very
little assistance. There was au institution in Pall-mall, but
it only had two casts. At the Royal Academy there was a
considerable number ; but they had been collected fifty
years ago ur more, had been moved about from place to
place fur the uses of the students, and were in a very dirty
state. The student would stand very little better chance if
he went to the institutions of design ; indeed, although
much had been done during the last twenty years, England
still remained totally destitute of anything like a good col-
lection. If they went to the schools of design at Norwich,
Gla.gow, Sheffield, &c., they would find themselves in
pretty much the same company. They might get the
-Apollo Belvidere, the Venus .le Medici, and other known
casts, multiplied and in each collection, but they would
meet with no variety. The Bristol institution contained the
best collection he had met with, but the casts were
nevertheless of the commonest kind. They might search
through all the minor collections of this country and they
would not find more than twenty or thirty casts which
were multiplied again and again; whereas, it they were to
form such a collection as be contemplated they would have
200 or 300 at the least, casts of the best objects. There
were three descriptions or classes of casts of which he
wished the nation to possess a collection. Ist. Those statues
which were remarkable for force, expression, grace, or
beauty. 2nd. Those objects which by the adjuncts, sym- ,
holm, and characters connected with them, threw a light
on history, and which were known as antiquities. 3rd,
Those objects which were interesting and valuable, as
showing tee history of art, its progress at various periods
and in various countries so as to enable the admirers of art
to sec what advances hid been made since say some 700 or
803 years before Christ. The formation of such a collec-
tion as lie continplated could only be obtained in such a
building as the Crystal Palace. Ile did nut my that he should
require the whole of that vast edifice—indeed, a tenth
of it would be amply sufficient. In foreign countries good
collections were formed, and at Naples, Florence, Berlin,
and other continental towns were groups of great beauty,
which could only be properly represented by plaster casts,
and of which it was desirable to have casts in this country.
Nr. Tucker said he had great pleasure in seconding the
resolution, as he believed that the formation of such • col-
lection of casts as was referred to would tend to create a
taste for the fine arts, which was not so extensive among
the people of England as could be desired.
The Lord de Malahide said he thought that the institute
was under great obligations to Mr. Yates for the proposition
he had now brought forward, as certainly the formation of
such a collection of casts would, in a national point of view,
be of vast importance.
The resolutions were adopted, and a paper was read by
Mr. W. Tyson, F.S.A., reganling the celebrated ship, "the
St. Nicholas of the Tower," the crew of which captured the
Duke of Suffolk, when on his way to France in the reign
of Henry VI., and put him to death. The object of the
paper was to prove that this vessel was not, as is commonly
assumed by historians, the property of the constable of the
Tower of London, but that she belonged to John Burton,
of Bristol, who bad a ship-building yard near one of the
towers on the old city wall, and that the vessel took her
name from that circumstance.

SOUTHAMPTON PAVING TRUST.—Yesterday the
annual dinner and hall to commemorate the return of the

commissioners of the SouthanspronFa;rngirust,toW
place at Highbury Barn Tavern, Islington; Mr. W. Dyke
in the chair. About 200 gentlemen at down to dinner.
The usual touts having been drunk, the company ad-
journed to the ball room, where dancing was kept up
with great spirit till a lute hour.

- -
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE.—Yesterday a meeting. of
the council of L'niversity College was held for the putpme
of considering what change in the regulations of the college
were requisite to meet cases of insubordination on the part
of students, such as occurred some few months ago at the
college. It was enacted that in future, on any occasion, any
professor, lecturer, or teacher, may report any student in
his class-room guilty of disorderly sets ; and, should be
deem the case urgent, may require the student to withdraw
from the elms-room. That the secretary shall have charge
at a'l times of all parts of the college, and authority to
maintain order then.in. That the dean be authorised to
pass sentence, comprehending either admonition from the
dean, reprimand from the dean in private, or in presence of
the faculty, suspension from attendance, which would dis-
qualify the student from receiving his certificate; exclusion
from any place of instruction ; rustication from the college,
and expulsion.

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, AUGUST 5.
The Clare Journal of yesterday has the following
gloomy kitelligenee about the potato crop :
We regret t 4 rind that there is no longer any doubt of
the appearance again this year of the fatal blight in the
potatocros. Along the western coast in this county it is
painfully risible to u great extent in the stalks, and in several
cases alsothe tuber has become affected. ,We trust, how-
ever, thetas it has appeared this year later in the season than
formerly, it will not be attended with such injurious conse-
quences. That there will be • partial failure is unfortu-
nately toe evident ; but we hope that, through the forbear-
ance of a merciful Providence, it will be of a very slight
character.

The thrk Examiner, of the same date, refers to
the subject in a much more cheering tone, and, I I
have no doubt, describes what the prospects of the
crops redly arc throughout the country generally.
The Cork paper says:
We have at this moment accounts before us from nearly
the whole of Munster—from Kerry, Waterford, Tipperary,
Limerick, and all parts of Cork—respecting this crop ; and
the conclssion to which we come is this—that though there
are in sone localities traces of apparent disease the crop ge-
nerally is safe. We could give a variety of particulars,
but they would come in the end to the same conclusion.
There will be no doubt isolated instances of partial disease,
but as a whole we feel satisfied that there will be an abun-
dant yield of as fine tubers as ever were dug.
Complaints arc heard of some extensive failures of
wheat, but this crop has ceased to be of the same
paramount importance in Ireland that it formerly
was. Since the heavy rains ceased about a week ego,
the weather has continued overcast, and by no means
favourable to the ripening of the harvest.
The Hon. C. S. Hardinge, eldest son of Viscount
Hardinge, is the only candidate spoken of for the
seat vacated at Downpatrick by 3lr. It. Kerr. He
is a conservative, and will probably be returned
without any opposition.
Upwards of two hundred and fifty persons arrived
by the Chester and Holyhead boat, on an excursion
trip last night; the boat arrived somewhat later than
usual.

At the dinner given by the Galway Club to the
directors of the Midland Great Western Railway,
and other guests, last week, Chief Justice Black-
burn, in returning thanks on behalf of bituself and
the lion. Judge Jackson, observed, '• that by the
construction of the Railway to Galway, an iron
road had been made as fur west as the land went,
constituting Galway the gate to America; and see-
ing the quit evinced in the execution of this great
design, he looked forward confidently to the next
step being promptly taken, by bridging the Atlantic
with a fleet of steamers that would accomplish the
transit in the shortest possible period, and bring the
old and new worlds into the closest proximity that
could be."

The Lord Chancellor, on tho recommendation of
Lord Stuart de Decie4, Lord Lieutenant of the county
of Waterford, has appointed Edward Moore Mulcahy,
jun., Esq., of Ballyeallane, a magistr.tto for that
county.

Tat: CitURCR.—The Earl of Charleville has been
pleas d to appoint the Rev. Edward F. Derry, A.D., rector
of Tullamore, and the Rev. John Leever, A.M., Vicar of
Ardnurchcr and Kilcunireauh, to be domestic chaplains to
his lordship. The Lord of Down and Connor has
presented the Rey. 1). C. Courtney, Vicar of Magheragal,
to the living of °known.
ECCLESIASTICAL TrnEa.—A little birds has whis-
pered to us that Dr. M'llaie has caused his title to be
changed in the books of the National 13 ink of Tuam from
that of Archbishop to the Most Rev. Dr. M'llale.—Con-
naieilat Watchnuut.

IRISH ASSIZES.
TIPPERARY ASSIZES (Noirric RIDING).
RECOUD COUIT.—NENAGII, FRIDAY, AUG. I.
WILLIAM DLINSWOICTII V. MICHAEL FITZGERALD.

This was an action brought by the endorsee of three
promissory- notes fur the sum of 7.1/.
Messrs. Lynch, Q.C., and Stephens, were counsel for the
plaintiff; and Messrs. Manley, Q.C., and Meagher, fur the
defendant.
The facts of this case were rather peculiar. The plaintiff
was a nephew of the Rev. Daniel Fitzgerald, a Roman
Catholic clergyman, living in the county Limerick, and the
maker of the promissory notes. The defendant was an
archdeacon of the same church, and had been parish priest
of Bullingarry. The payee of the notes was of a very ad-
vanced age, nearly 90, and lodged in Limerick, in the house
of a Mr. Oliceffe ; but previously he had for a considerable
time been residing with the plaintiff During his last illness
this nephew was sent for a person named Dillon, who was in
the confidence of Mr. O'Sullivan, and who had been recom-
mended by him to a situation in the ducks, who swore that on
the 13th of July, 18.50, he was sent for, and the plaintiff and
nursetender were in the room with the priest when he was
-ailed in. The old gentleman, who was in bed, according
to his evidence, pulled out a bunch of keys from under his
pillow, and desired his nephew to open a drawer, in which
he would find seven promissory notes. They were found
where he described, and Mr. O'Sullivan then intimated
that he intended to make them a present to the plaintiff.
The latter then endorsed them in the name of his uncle,
and after doing so, dated theta, and the deceased put his
hand to the pen, and put his cross to, the documents. This
evidence of Dillon was corroborated by the nursetender.
For the defence it was alleged that the indorsements were
fraudulent, and that they were written long after the 18th
of July, and at a time that the payee was in such a state of
mind as to be incapable of managing his affairs; that the
defendant iid not deny he owed the money, but that he
ought not to pay over the amount except under a will of '
the deceased to which he was exteutor.

Mr. John O'Grady deposed to having been called upon
by the plaintiff to be a second witness to the endorsement,
and that on going into the room Mr. O'Sullivan seemed un-
willMg to put his mark to the notes ; got angry and called
his nephew a liar, and said his saying it was necessary to
put his mark to them was ouly.a trick. The witness looked
at some of the seven notes, and they had not the name of
Dillon as a witness on them; this was some time subsequent
to the 18th of July.
On cross-examination he said that Mr. Dunsworth wished
him as a respectable man to witness the notes. Did not see
them all on that occasion. Had always heard the clergyman
speak very kindly of his nephew.
The next witness was Mr. °lien'', who stated that a few
dale before the death of the clergyman, which was in the
middle of August, the plaintiff said he had then received
the notes from him. This was lung after the 18th of July.
The conversation was a casual one. The deceased resided
in his house, and on several occasions sent for his nephew,
the plaintiff. Archdeacon Fitzgerald used to come there
some times.

Dr. Carey, who on the 19th of July acquainted the bank
that a cheque with the mark of the deceased was a proper
one to be paid, stated that on the 21st of July the Rev. Mr.
O'Sullivan, whom he attended, became in a comatose state,
and was unable to manage his affairs.
This witness was closely cross-examined, and stated that
a few days ago he wrote part of a letter to have been sent
to the defendant's attorney, requesting him to put an end
to litigation by settling the case.
Mr. Stephens spoke to evidence.
Baron Pennefather charged the jury, who returned a
verdict for the plaintiff, with 751. damages and interest,
and 6d. coots.

These assizes were the lightest known in the memory of
man in the county of Tipperary. At the ruling of the books
there were but 2 prisoners sentenced to transportation, and
there was no capital conviction.

KERRY ASSIZES.
CHARGE or MURDER.—DREADFUL CASE OF CRUELTY.
Michael Donohoe, and Julia Donohoe, man and wife, the
former about 40, and the latter 30 years of age, were placed
at the bar, and indicted for the wilful murder of Denis
Shee, near Cahirciveen, in this county, upon the 13th of
April last, by beating him, and otherwise ill-treating him.
There were four counts in the indictment, which varied the
terms of the charge in some degrees.
The crown counsel (assisted by Mr. J. D. Fitzgerald,
Q.C.) conducted the prosecution; and Mr. Olles., who was
assigned by the court, defended the prisoners.
A man named Casey, and several other witnesses, were
produced on behalf of he crown; and, according to their
evidence, a case of more barbarous cruelty never came
before a court of justice. It appeared that the deceased
was the nephew of the female prisoner, was not more than
ten or twelve years of age, and that he lost his life by the
ill treatment be received from her and her husband, not
only from the severe beatings thus inflicted on him im-
mediately before death, but front having turned him out
at night, and exposed hint to cold and hunger. The
occurrence took place near Cahirciveen, in this county, and
under the following circumstances. The receiver of the
estate, an agent of the landlord, the Marquis of Lansdowne,
posted a notice to the effect that persons who admitted
paupers or strangers to lodge in their cabins would be dis-
possessed ; and the result was, that the several tenants on
the lands were afraid to allow any one to retain in their
houses who came under either of those classes. Casey, the
owner of the cabin where this occurrence took place, bad
the prisoners lodging with him, and the deceased had been
there a few days; but the prisoners, lest they should be put
out themselves, determined upon putting him out, and, in
doing so, resorted to the violent measures which ultimately
ended in his death. The deceased, who was in a most
emaciated and delicate state of health—in fact, almost a
living skeleton—was first beaten by the female prisoner
with a pitchfork handle, and put out, and afterwards the
male prisoner beat him with a long stick. They then tied
his hands behind his back, and threw hint outside the door
at 11 o'clock at night, where he was found dead in the
morning. The medical evidence showed that the poor boy
was in a most wretched state of starvation, and that he was
covered over from head to foot with severe bruises from the
beating. he had received.
The jury convicted the prisoners of manslaughter.

LEGAL AND GENERAL LIFE ASSURANCE COM-
PANY.—At a public meeting of proprietors in this company,
which took place yesterday at the offices in Fleet street, Mr.
Crowder, Q.C„ was elected a director in licu of Sir Francis
Simpkinson, Q.C., deceased.

CLERICAL.
VIMPEIMENTR.

Rev. R. Allen, to KenewortTiVicarage, Herta ; value,
1801. and residence; patrons, Dean and Chapter of St.
Rev. (1. E. Faulkner, to Li.ton Cutaey, Eisez, and to
the Chaplaincy of Sudbury Union, Suffolk.