The Sun.
London, England, 1865-12-02 00:00:00

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it would soon be effected. ;;.:Sir John then refer_
to the measures brough 4orward by the co.'-
sArvative Government, and akd he hoped siie-f.
k,s
see Mr. Levick a member orbtliQoun sulivorting
measures which have been advOcated7y tliT Con-
servative party. With respect to the great question
of reform, he thought that no attempt to introduce
democratic institutions to the country would suc-
ceed. Sir John concluded by expressing a hope
that his hon. friend (Mr. Levick) would soon be in
the •house—(applause)—reflecting honour upon
himself and the city of Worcester, and bringing his
great knowledge and experience for the benefit of
the cause they espoused.

Archwolog,ical Institute of Great Britain
and Ireland.

Yesterday afternoon the second ordinary meet-
ingesesthsieoirt eoefmstheofmetnhteb eArsruonfdetlhisselenisett; Institute
was
of
held
in
Bond-street--the Marquis Camden in
ee
the chair.
The N oble Chairman, in opening the
gs,
announced that a communication had been received
from Sir Charles Phipps to the effect that her Ma-
jesty had been graciously pleased to sanction the
holding of the next annual congress of the Institute
in Windsor, in July next. lle said the exact day
could not at present be fixed, as it would depend
in a great measure on the period at which the
Queen would be absent from Windsor Castle. The
Prince of Wales, who is patron of the Institute; is
expected to preside on the occasion.
The first communication, "Notes on Excavations
of the supposed Site of the Roman Cambodunum,"
contributed by Mr. J. Bradbury, was read by the
secretary, Mr. Parnell. The place where the ex-
cavations have been made is about four miles from
Huddersfield, and so far as they have gone they have
disclosed numerous remains indicative of former
occupation by the Romans. Among the most inte-
a-..Tcticizco-i-ered aro baths for Lot :Ind Friel
bathing, and the contil „'.:ces adapted for heating
the water. The excavations are still in progress.
A paper on the Roman pig of lead lately found
at Bristol was contributed by Mr. Albert Way, from
particulars communicated by the Rev. Prebendary
Scarth. From letters cast on the lead, but partly
erased, it is supposed to have been of the period of
Antoninus Pius in the second century. The pig of
lead, which was placed on the table, weighed about
801 b., and is much smaller than others that have
been discovered in the same neighbourhood, for it
appears that the Romans obtained large quantities
of lead from the Mendip Hills. In the course of the
discussion on the paper there were some curious
commentaries by Mr. James Yates and Mr. Morgan
as to the meaning of the term " pig" applied to a
mass of cast lead. The latter gentleman expressed
the opinion that in casting the lead with a large
trough, called a " sow," the metal overflowed at the
sides, and those masses were called her pigs, hence
the word pig had been applied to all similar masses
of cast metal. Mr. Yates, on the other hand, con-
tended
that the word pig is a corruption of the word
pic, meaning a piece. It was remarked in the course
of the discussion, as a peculiar circumstance, that
while these pigs of lead cast by the Romans are not
unfrequently found in England they are very rare
in France.

Mr. E. Smirke read a paper on some entries re-
specting the burning of lepers in the records of the
Channel Islands. The records referred to the time
of Edward I. or Edward 111., and it might be in-
ferred from them that some lepers had been burnt
to prevent the spread of the disease. Such a supposi-
tion was, however, contrary to the general feeling
then entertained towards lepers, who met with sym-
pathy from most classes, though they were shut up
by themselves as a measure of precaution. Mr.
Smirke referred to several ancient French authorities
in which it was asserted that at one period lepers
and Jews were suspected of poisoning the wells, and
among other poisonous matters they were accused
of throwing into the water were serpents' heads and
"ladies' hair." In the record particularly referred
to there were two or three words missing, which
might have shown that it was for some alleged
offence, and not merely for being lepers, that the
persons had been burin.

Mr. Greaves and the Rev. Dr. Rock joined in the
discussion, and agreed in the latter opinion.
Mr. Birch made a communication respecting a
threatened spoliation of St. Michael's Church, St.
Albans, He also alluded to the threatened removal
of the rood screen from Christ Church, Hampshire,
and read a letter which had appeared from the Earl
of Malmesbury on the subject. This led to a dis-
cussion of the fruitful topic of destructive "resto-
rations" and desecrations by clergymen, church-
wardens, and architects, in which Dr. Rock, Mr.
Morgan, Mr. Smirke, and other gentlemen took
part, and several additional instances were men-
tioned of barbarous attempts at restoration. A
resolution was then moved by Mr. fAlorgan, and
agreed to, to the effect that a representation be
made by the Institute to the proper authorities to
prevent the removal of the rood screen from Christ
Church.

Some explanatory observation--; were made by
Mr. Hewitt on a rare article of defence worn by
knights in tilting, called a vamplace, which was
exhibited by permission of General Lefroy.
Several other objects of interest on the table were
briefly explained, and the meeting then adjourned
to the 2d of February.