Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-12-03 00:00:00

LIVERPOOL HISTORIC SOCIETY.

The usual weekly meeting of the above society, was
held in the rooms set apart for that purpose in St.
George's-hall, on Thursday night. The meeting was very
well attended by its members; and James Steains, Esq.,
was unanimously called upon to preside.
The minutes of the last meeting were then read by
the secretary, and confirmed; after which the following
new members were unanimously elected :—W. J. Legh,
Esq., M.r. ; P. B. Ainslie, Esq., F.S.A. Scotland,
Guildford, Surrey; H. R. Callender, jun., Esq., Banff-
house, Rusholme, Manchester ; John Elliott Hodgkin,
Esq., Hayman's Green, West Derby ; John Marsh, Esq.,
St. Helen's ; Rev. T. H. Thicknesse, Deane Vicarage,
Bolton.
The following donations were then presented to the
society The Wars from 1783 to 1795," by Sir E. Oust,
Major-General in the army, and president of the society,
" Bulletin de la Societe Archeologique de 1' Orleannois,"
" The Tree of Commonwealth," and the "Journal
of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ire-
land," all literary gems in themselves. The last named
donation was the seventeenth number and first part of
the work referred to, and contained seven parts in all,
which had been read and presented to the society.
Dr. Hume exhibited photographic portraits of historic
characters in England and Scotland.
TKOs. DAWSON, Esq., exhibited books printed. in
Liverpool, as follows :—A Sermon preached in the Old
Church on behalf of the Public Infirmary, in 1750 ; an
English Grammar, printed in 1765 ; Translation of
Horace, by Dr. Green, 1777 ; Catalogue of the Works
of Rembrandt, 1796 ; Laws of the Athenseam, 1799 ;
An Address at the Botanic Gardens, 1802; and, A. Com-
panion to Liverpool Museum, 1807.
Mr. HENRY GERARD also exhibited Poliphili Hypuer-
atomachia, with numerous illustrations, in 1467.
Mr. SMITH then proceeded to read a paper, which
was of a most interesting nature, and displayed deep
and studied research ; after which the thanks of the
meeting were unanimously accorded to him. The fol-
lowing is a digest :—" Description of the coins, seals,
and pilgrims' signs found upon the sea-shore of
Cheshire," being a contribution towards the forthcoming
work upon the antiquities of that locality by the Rev.
Dr. Hume. The coins, exclusive of those of more
modern date than William 111., number above 300,
and, like the miscellaneous relics found on this singular
coast, comprise representatives of every epoch of our
country's history, from the ancient British downwards.
The Roman series is numerous, commencing with
the Emperor Claudius, A.D. 41-54, and numbers 53
coins, the most interesting being a second (brass) of
Antoninus Pius, having upon the reverse, Britannia per-
sonified seated upon a rock ; it was found in the spring
of the present . year. The Saxon examples are in
the best state of preservation, and include no less than
seven of Canute the Great and his cotemporary Ethelred
the Unready. The English series numbers nearly 250
pieces, chiefly of the reigns of Henry 111. and the two
first Edwards, from which we may infer that these were
the palmy days of the seaport settlement once existing
here, but whose site is now ravaged by the encroaching
tides. The seals are mostly referable to the 13-14th
century—an early date, and the personal ones in each
case have belonged to individuals of distinction, but
of whom we know nothing in addition to what these
little memorials supply, their names being absent from
the several pedigrees of their well-known families.
Such are John de O'Secott, Amabel de Lathom,
and William de Meles, the families of the two latter
formerly owning the adjacent properties. The pilgrims'
signs are very limited in number. One of these is only
a fragment ; but enough remains to identify it as
brought from a once celebrated shrine in the middle of
the ancient province of Quercy in France, where,
perched upon the top of a high and isolated rock, the
hermit St. Amadour, in early times, built himself a
cell. The hermitage, subsequently converted into a
chapel of the Virgin, became a favourite resort for
pilgrims from all parts of Christendom, including
many royal personages, and the discovery of one of its
ampulloe (or leaden signs worn on the hat) in our
neighbourhood, Proves the diffusion of its fame. Mr.
Smith exhibited a number of casts and impressions of
the more interesting of the coins and seals, several
valuable examples of Roman fibulce, and a bottle,
showing the disposition of the several strata, natural
and artificial, at the chief antiquarian site.
" The Chimeras," part Ist, was also read, Sir E.
Cast being its author. The second part will be read on
next Thursday evening.
The Civaitmair said he would call upon Dr. Hume to
address himself to Mr. Smith's paper, and entertain the
meeting with some practical observations on that head.
The able and talented doctor then went into a clear
and able exposition of the antiquities found on the
Cheshire sea coast, and complimented Mr. Smith on
the great pains and labour he had gone co in searching
after these antiquities ; as well also for the valuable and
learned production which the members of the society
had just listened to with so much benefit.
Afterithe transaction of some other business of minor
note, thanks were voted to the Chairman, and the meet-
ing separated.

-- -
LORD CLYDE AND THE 93RD HIGHLANDERS.—LOrd
Clyde arrived at Sabathoo on the 7th October to see his ,
own reoiment the 93rd Highlanders'. After minutely.
inspecting the regiment, his lordship addressed the non-
commissioned officers and men. He told them he was
much gratified'to see the high state of discipline they I
were. in after all they had gone through ; praised them
for their cleanliness, general appearance,' steadiness
under arms, and their good behaviour in quarters ; and
concluded by thanking Colonel Leith Hay' for the
order he had his regiMent in. His lordship dined at
mess after Wards, and made 'a farewell speech, telling
then). to study;' as' war: had become so much of a
science now, and that it was not necessary for' officers,
" as of old," to lead, On their' Men with 'swords waving,
84.; blit direct them; and finished by saying, he would
inform her Majesty and the Commander-in-Chief of the ;
perfect state of discipline his' regiment was in,''and
hoped soon to see it ranee more at home. 'Ott the road
leading' past the' 93rd Barracks, the; reginient, officers as
well as men, was draWn up give their old chief a't
farewell cheer' Which was done 'with a hearty good Will,!
so much so that, iron-nerved 'Man as he is,' he leeined
deeply affected. The CoMmander-in-Cbief expects .to
be 'finished in time to' allow him to arrive in England
by January. •
EVILS O,P DEFRCTIVE BOOKKEEPING..-1 recently'
had occasion to look into the affairs of a tradesnian who'
was iti a large' 'way. of business, and by some ineang or
other, had got into,mextricable difficnities..-1q knew lira'
to be honest and industrimis, and far from extrivaglint.
in:his mode of living, 'and was therefore more surprised
at the necessity of my intervention. Of course my first.
step was to look at his books ;111e had his day book
and his ledger, and 'I Saw the extent of his 'business
was'such as Might to have produeed him a very-hand:-
some income.. -I inquired, when he had last balanced ,
his books,. and :tested his
had,
;' and. I found
to.. my '.astonishment, he ha 4 never done so it' all;
:although ,he' hact'b,een in 1)11411:m5i more -than -twelve
ryears„and only Of 'his cliffieulty from his inUbilitY
to meet his engagements ; on examining eatefullysenie
of ills entries, I- found here and-there' errdrs, that showed
at least there was careleSsness and a want of system, bizt
as'l. had as starting point without ping' through the
*hole work of twelve. years, I Was ;Conipelledf .to
niend-hiin to lay. his affairs before his. &editors, which
,he dik'and eventually,' got- through'the 'batiliitiptdy
'court "'with. a certificate of the third- class-.'' NO*,
I am convinced' that _the sole cause 'of this mates i,
non-success was a laxity_ in book-keeping. He was
a shrewd man of business in every other respect.
but, as he told,mc, to be stuck ,at the dekwas a bdre to
him. Thus, by disregarding a system of cheek upon
himself as well as. those about him, and' by wilfully
keeping himself in ignorance of his position, .it was not
surprising that he failed.. If he had had a competent
Bound
accountant or book-keeper to look after this department
of his business, I have no hesitation in saying, that
instead of winding. up with: five shillings in the
for his creditors, he would have realised a hand Some
competency before he had reached my age, which, I am
happy to say, is not threescore years.—Correspondent in
Lilwall's Mercantile Circular.