The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-06-05
INF O:I.R'T.A||I.N'T1i. WORK
ON STATE SEALS
Mr.. Evans Presents Complete
and Exhaustive Study Of Much
Discussed Subject.
BELIEVED TO BE CORRECT
Present Design Lacking in Ar
tistic Grace and
Beauty.

w nat is regarded as most valuable
and Important contribution TO the liter
4 AZURE on the subject of the seals of the
commonwealth of Virginia is the mon
ograph prepared by former Assistant
state Librarian Edward S. Evans, and
published In the annual report OF the
state Library, just issued. Mr.. Evans
began this work while employed in the
| library, and only recently completed
| it. ~
great deal has been written on this
Subject. particularly in recent years
pua II is believed no one has gone into
the subject SO eNhaustively as has MIR
Evans. He was led to undertake the
work, by rather striking circumstance
IL being his duty to prepare seal for
the stationery to be used in the State
Library. he collected specimens of the
various designs used in the stationery
of the State departments. These dit
fered in SO many important details
that MIR. Evans was at loss TO know
which was correct.
Queer Armor.
Great confusion entered into the de-
signs of these seals. One OF the most
striking of the errors which appears
In several OF the designs is In the dress
or costume of the tyrant. n His figure
Is shown accoutred in the full armor
or the thirteenth century, while the
amazon is dressed in armor used about
1000 years before Christ. Every mag
Unable variety and error In design has
peen incorporated in one or another OF
the seals as used
Perhaps the most unique in the en-
tire lot is the old seal OF the State Lii
brary, where the Amazon. appearing as
a man OF herculean strength, actually
has her foot on the back OF the head
OIL the tyrant, whose chin rests on the
ground. while an enormous crown OF
n Cltrt, H.. L. t|a
Through the efforts. of D. q. tEgglc-
ston, late Secretary of the Common
wealth, an act was passed in 1903 cor
rectirg all the errors in the official
seal save one. The new law uses the
expression, "a crown falling from his
cine tyrants) head" whereas tie orig
inal description read, "a crown fallen
from his head" The latter expression
Mr.. Evans regards as in exact accord
with the Idea OF victory completed .
as expressed by ''fortitudo' or ..virtus.'
The words used in the act. he says do
not conform TO this idea.
Seal Now Correct.
As 10 the seal in use to-day, MIR
Evans pronounces II correct in all the
major details. but lacking in artistic
grace and beauty. The genius OF the
commonwealth is the dgure Of man
ather than that of woman and long
after the discs were in use. he relates.
MI. Egsleston returned that of the OBJ
verse TO the engraver and had the
breasts OF woman added TO the iig :
ure- The writer hopes that now that
me design is correct. the contradictory
motto perseverando" (by persevcr-
'ns)' VIII be changed TO the original
motto, Deus nobis haec o,ia fecit"
God has given us this ease).
NJ, Evanss research goes back 10
the original designs Of colonial DAYS
ne visited the State Department in
ashington, the United States Senate
records and the War Department. and
went carefully through the Lenox Lii
nrary, in New York; tho John Carter
i srown Library, in Providence; the
library of the University of Virginia
me Virginia State Library, the virginia
historical Society Library and the Ii
orary OF Congress. His work is illus
traied with all the state seals used
ception of the great seal used from
lIT9 TO 1905 ,'i, -