ome competent Spanish scholar who has read it, as
to its genuineness. My own impression is that it will prove an ingenious
(perhaps innocent?) imposture. The story of its discovery in a
collection of books sold by auction at Cadiz, and its publication
_there_ by Don Adolfo de Castro, in the first place, rather excites
suspicion. My impression, however, is formed from the evident artificial
structure of the whole. Still, not having seen the original, I confess
myself an imperfect judge, and hope that this may meet the eye of one
competent to decide.
S.W. SINGER
* * * * *
ANCIENT ALMS-BASINS.
I have read the various notices in Nos. 3, 5, and 6. on the subject of
these dishes. I have an electrotype copy from such a dish, the original
of which is in Manchester. The device is like No. 4. of those of
CLERICUS (No. 3. p. 44.); but two circles of inscription extend round
the central device (the Grapes of Escol), in characters which are
supposed to be Saracenic. The inner inscription is five times, the outer
seven times, repeated in the round. I see by the _Archaeological
Journal_, No. 23, for Sept. 1849 (pp.295-6.), that at the meeting of
Archaeological Institute, on the 1st June last, Mr. Octavius Morgan,
M.P., exhibited a collection of ancient salvers or chargers, supposed to
be of latten; several ornamented with sacred devices and inscriptions,
including some remarkable examples of the curious florid letter, forming
legends, which have so long perplexed antiquaries in all parts of
Europe. Mr. Morgan arranged the devices in four classes, the first being
chargers or large dishes, supposed by him to have been fabricated at
Nuremburg. The northern antiquary, Sjoeborg, who has written much on the
subject, calls them baptismal or alms dishes. Their most common devices
are, Adam and Eve (probably the No. 3. of CLERICUS), St. George, and the
Grapes of Eschol (No. 4. of CLERICUS). On one of those exhibited was the
Annunciation (No. 2. of CLERICUS). On these facts I wish to put the
following queries:--
1. Are Sjoeborg's works known to any of your readers?
2. In what language does he suppose the characters to be?
MELANDRA.
[While we are very happy to promote the inquiries of our
correspondent, we think it right to apprise him that the opinions
of the Swedish antiquary whom he has named, are received with great
caution by the majority of his archaeological brethren.]
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