The Sun.
London, England, 1863-10-14 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 14, 1863

placing sea weed in a book, are laying the foundation of
study in natural history. The collection of even unimpor-
tant trumpery showed two things—a love of order, and an
interest in some external objects. But, besides collection,
they must have the spirit of criticism—the power of deter-
mining whether things were right or wrong, whether they
were true or false, and archmology was only a curious
amusement unless accompanied with the spirit of serious,
accurate, and merciless criticism. Archmology was the
rectifier of tradition, whether written or spoken. The
more they investigated tradition, the more uncertain did
they find it as a guide to truth. Tradition was no proof
whatever, even of an original truth of any kind. At the
present moment the study of archmology was especially
interesting, because it was in full accord and agreement
with the development of historical criticism, for which the
time in which we live is so remarkable. Though seeming
to create doubts it, in fact, creates certainty. It constructs
instead of destroying ; and though it has a tendency to scep-

ticism on one side, it adds confirmation to faith on the other.
His lordship then noticed the verisus branches of know-
ledge which are essential to constitute an archaeologist of the
present day. It was also requisite that he should be a man
of taste. After enlarging on that topic, he referred to Dr.
Thereeby, a Leeds archaeologist of untiring industry, and
censured the inhabitants of Leeds for having allowed his
magnificent collection of coins, autographs, &c., to be sold
by auction in London. Such, the noble lord continued,
was the great study of archaeology to which he directed
their attention. Ho asked each of them in his own district
to regard it as a never .failing source of amusement ;
and it could scarcely fail at the same time to have
some valuable results, for there was scarcely a parish which
did not contain an element for the history of England.
This society connected, as it were, the most distant times
with present occurrences, either by resemblance or by con-
trast. Think for a moment how curious it was that they
should be politically considering the question of the revival
of Italy and the condition of the great city of Rome, whilst
England, in a period so comparatively short in the history
of the world, should have been a Roman dependency. A
similar contrast was drawn by his lordship as to our condi-
tion with regard to Denmark and France ; and he then ob-
served that he need not tell that large and prosperous com-
munity of the enormous advantages which England had
gained in the last 400 or 500 years, and of the different po-
sition they now held. It might be they had lost something;
that there was something in these old men which they could
hardly in imagination reproduce, or in their conscience fully
understand—.

" To them was life a simple art
Of duties to be done,
A game where each man took his part,
A race where all must run :
A battle where great scheme and scope
They little cared to know,
Content, as men-at-arms, to cope,
Each with his fronting foe."
Thus it was with the men of old. We had a harder task, a
heavier burden. We had the responsibilities of more know-

ledge and of a more enlightened conscience. All we can do
is to strive, as far as we can, to keep something alive of the
simplicity of the ancient time, and combine with that the
hope, and more than hope, the conviction of the progress of
the human race, and our thankfulness to the Disposer of
all events for having placed us in this happy time. (Loud
applause.)

On the motion of the MAYOR, seconded by the VICAR, a
vote of thanks was passed to Lord Houghton for his able
address. His lordship briefly acknowledged the compli-
ment, and the company separated.
The conversazione in the evening was crowded. The
handsome hall was not decorated in any manner, nor were
any objects displayed around to attract attention; but for
the entertainment of the company a number of glee singers,
Spark performed on the large organ. Refreshments were
abundantly provided in a separate room throughout the
evening.
businesshTohoeeeupineed the orchestra, sung various glees, and Dr.
g
neglected
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the Borough of Leeds," in which he introduced some curi-
ous particulars of the trial of its manufacturer, a goldsmith
named Maingee, who in 1696 was tried before Lord Chief
Justice Burton for coining. The following extract from the
Paper affords a good example of the mode in which justice
was administered in those days :—The charge was for high
treason, in counterfeiting the lawful coin of the realm. The
chief witness against Maingee was an approver of the name
of George Norcross, a supposed accomplice. The late Mr.
Norrison Scatcherd, of Morley, has left us a long detailed
account of this trial in manuscript. From this document it
would appear that the prosecution was conducted as much
by the Chief Justice, who tried the case, as by the counsel
for the Crown. Norcross proves that he was employed by
Maingee as a clipper, at 5s a day, and that he saw him not
only clip the sheets of the base metal into the size and form
of the intended shilling or half-crown with shears, but that
lie also saw him stamp it on both sides by striking it heavily
with a forge harmer, on a balk on the roof of the house, in
a secret chamber. This witness was supported in his state-
ment by a man and woman whose stories were very incohe-
rent. For the defence Maingeo asked the cryer to call Capt.
Burton. The cry er declined to do so, saying that he was not
obliged to call prisoner's witnesses. However, on Maingee
paying him for this duty Captain Burton was called. He
swore that he had gone with a person accidentally to Leeds
and examined the prisoner's house, and that he did not be-
lieve it possible base money could have been made in the
manner described by Norcross. The judge, addressing wit-
ness, said, " Pray, tell me, Captain Barton, how came you to
go to Leeds on that occasion? I am confident you must have
been employed by Mr. Maingee, or by somebody else. Pray
what is your employment ?" Captain Burton—"l am
comptroller of the Mint in York." J udge —" A very pretty
man to be employed in the King and country's service, and
come here in evidence against the King, and encourage
rogues, and that which now the nation grieves under. I
will promise you that I will know in another place how you
came hither." Captain Burton—" My lord, I had not come
if one of your lordship's servants hadn't told me you sent
for me." Judge—" Where is that officer? Let him be
immediately found, and I'll clap him by the heels; and if
the parson was here that came with you, I would do as
much for him." The jury, of course, under such guidance,
found a verdict of guilty, and Maingee, though generally
thought to be innocent, was banged. The sequel to this
story, however, strongly tends to prove the accused to have
been guilty.
It happened that it became necessary to pull down
Maingee's old house in Briggate, in 1832, just 136 years
after his execution. Well, in stripping off the roof of this
old house, the workmen came upon a small secret chamber,
and on the floor of this chamber they found these two pair
of shears or clippers—the very tools with which Norcross
swore Maingee and himself used to clip the coins. Here
we have two dumb witnesses brought forward after this
long lapse of time to corroborate the discredited evidence of
this approver of infamous reputation.
The second paper was read by Mr. G. R. Wright. It
was a petition of the inhabitants of Leeds to Oliver Crom-
well, praying for a new charter of incorporation, setting
forth that the old charter had been surrendered to King
Charles to be amended, but that in consequence of the civil
war it had not been renewed.
The excursions to-day are to Adel Church, to Farnley
Hall, to Harewood Castle, and to Ilkley, the Olicana of
the Romans. The objects of antiquarian interest at the
latter place are some Runic crosses in the churchyard ; but
the place itself has of late years become more celebrated. for
its cold water, which rushes from the adjacent moor in con-
tinuous streams of limpid chilliness ; and magnificent
palaces at Benrhyddin and at the New Wells have been
.
erected for its reception for the benefit of hydropathic
patients. The day being fine, a large party set off at an
early hour, but the places named in the programme
too far distant to be all visited before evening, when the
p are
first regular meeting for the business of the association
commences.

-----
There is a lull in the Federal bombardment of
Charleston. The silence of Gen. Gilmore's messen-
gers can be easily understood, as he is getting his heavy
guns into position, and probably will not open fire until he
believes that he can effectually overpower the Confederate
batteries. But what means the quiet on board the Moni-
tors ! Is it that they are unable to withstand the rattling
of the Confederate balls at close quarters ? In the absence
of intelligence,
we suspect that there is some such difficulty,
for on the Weehawken's grounding under Fort Moultrie,
the whole of the Monitors were unable to keep the fire of the
fort in check, so that—as the Neu, York Tones stated—the
position of the grounded vessel 11. d become perilous, until
the new Ironsides, came to the rescue between
9 and 10 o'clock, continuing under fire till 2 p.m. This
paper says that, but for the Ironsides, "it is not probable
rthaia,itdtlhyeaNsVteheehyacwokuelnd, and with splendid effect, could not could have been extricated from her
perilous position. The other genitors, while they fired as
keep down the rebel fire. At the best they fired painfully
slow, and every one knows it is the rapidity and continuity
of file that tell against open works, or, indeed, works of any ,
kind. One frigate like the Ironsides is worth a dozen
Monitors. She was hit undoubtedly over 200 times." It
should, however, be remembered that these Monitors are
only large gunboats, and that the vessels of the Dictator
cbloatshs infotrendoeffdonfooor sea-service are infinitely more formidable
numerous and powerful, and their turrets twice as large
massive;eagnadinst d
thenceoutside
e
a would shower
bee r ec f a
r o heavyely missiles striking
felt l t
by those within
for the sharp shock communicated through the smaller
theiro ui s
s
Monitor turret would be inappreciable after passing through
the denser iron mass of which the turrets of the Dictator
class are composed.—flrmy and 11'ary Gazelle.
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