Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 8.djvu/159

NOTICES OP ARCHAEOLOGICAL PUBLICATIONS. 117 Kemp, may be atlJed to the list of London collectors of the last century. The notices of their efforts are not without interest, as coniparnl with the rapid advance of antiquarian pursuits in later times, and the formation of many public as well as private collections. One of these, the existence of which may hitlierto have been unknown to many readers of the Journal, is "the Museum (as described by Mr. Tite) established in connection with the Corporation Library at Guildliall, for the reception of antiquities relating to London, especially such as may be discovered in the execution of civic public improvements, which it is certain cannot rightly belong to any otlier depository. Many such interesting remains have been accordingly phiccd at Guildhall by the Conmiissioncrs of Sewers, and also by various donors ; a descriptive list of which, to the year 1840, is printed at the end of the last edition of the Library Catalogue." (Introd. p. xxxvii.) The chief source, however, from which this civic museum has been enriched, was the great work, before mentioned, the erection of the New Royal Exchange. On that occasion a large receptacle was found and cleared out, one of those singular favissce, or rubbish-holes, frequently noticed of late near Roman sites. In the mass of hardened mud with which this pit was filled, lay an heterogeneous assemblage of objects, of the Roman period, with numerous imperial coins, from Augustus to Gratian. The Catalogue of these antiquities has been prepared with great care by Mr. Thomson, and supplies much valuable information. In tlie arrange- ment of the numerous fictile objects he has availed himself, for the first time, as we believe, in any extensive public collection in England, of the classification adopted by M. Brongniart, in his " Traite des Arts Ceramiques." The fragments of " Samian " occurred in great variety, amounting to some thousands ; from these an useful list of potters' marks has been compiled, which will be highly acceptable to antiquaries interested in the history of that beautiful manufacture. One impressed mark occurs on the handle of an amphora, as far as we are aware unique in this country. It is EVALER TROPH, explained to designate the weak wine, called trophin, mentioned by Martial as used in the baths. It is curious to trace these little evidences of the introduction of all the usages of daily life, and even trivial habits amongst the Romans, and to note how completely the customs and manners of ancient Italy were preserved even in the most remote colonies of the empire. The other sections of the catalogue relate to the relics of metal, writing implements, glass, articles of domestic use, with an extraordinary collection of soles and sandals, crepidw, and calcci, and various leathern remains, discovered in excellent preservation in the singular rubbish-pit before mentioned. We fear that this useful catalogue has not, as yet, been generally circulated ; but the corporation will, doubtless, soon feel that a more general publication of such a work must tend to stimulate the interest of their brother-citizens, and augment the stores of the Museum, through the donations of collectors. The collection itself is very satisfactorily arranged for exhibition ; the description of every object is found, placed in the case by its side. This practice, which adds so materially to the gratification and instruction to be derived by visitors to a Museum, should be invariably adopted in all Pubhc Depositories.