Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 1.djvu/208

190 memoir was thereupon read shewing that in the province of Le Maine the use of stone coffins, and the occasional depositing therein of perforated pots filled with charcoal and cinders, existed even so lately as the end of the seventeenth century. M. de Caumont having then remarked on our want of a chronological essay on the former modes of sepulture, the sitting was terminated by a memoir on the sepulchral statues of the English monarchs at Fontevrault.

At the afternoon sitting, a notice was communicated of a certain chapel of the thirteenth century at Fontevrault, having at its top one of those cemetery lanterns described to the Society at Le Mans. The Director then enquired as to stone altars and baptismal fonts in Anjou, but reference was only made to a font in the chapel of Behuard, which contains also a contemporary fresco-portrait of Louis XI. M. Marchegay then enumerated from ancient abbey-inventories lists of articles of gold-work and enamel, and referred to M. Grille's collections of Byzantine ornaments as well worthy of a visit from the Society. With regard to reliquaries, M. de Cauvin described a remarkable one at Evron, a wooden statue covered with silver plates, and having a girdle of precious stones, alluding also to several ancient crosses, pixes, chalices and censers, and silken tapestry, &c. at Le Mans and in its vicinity. Of the most remarkable stained glass in Anjou, the oldest was said to be in the cathedral and the hospital chapel at Angers, but the most beautiful at Champigné. The church-music of Anjou, during the eleventh and twelfth centuries, was then enquired into, with allusion to the form of certain musical instruments represented in that mine of archæological information—the cloister of St. Aubin. As examples of ancient penmanship, the archivist laid before the Society some fac-similes of charters varying in date from A.D. 847 downwards, shewing that the small Roman character introduced by Charlemagne was not commonly employed before the eleventh century, and that the long Gothic character arose in the thirteenth, when the use of Latin in public documents had given way to the vulgar tongue.

The origin of various manufactures in Anjou, and the influence of monasteries on agriculture, having been discussed, an account of the castle and church of Noatre was read, and M. de Caumont, in the name of the Society, then thanking the inhabitants of Angers for their hospitality, concluded the session by requesting their assistance at the session to take place the next year at Bordeaux.

This review might here terminate, but as some of the subjects noticed are, from their novelty and import, we conceive, worthy of consideration by our readers, and since it is probable that other subjects equally interesting may be met with in the account of the Society's sessions at Cherbourg and Lyons, I shall proceed with an analysis of what was there transacted.

The Cherbourg meeting took place on the 18th of July, during the session of the Norman Association, M. de Caumont being president. Business began by voting thanks to M. Renault, for having stopped the demolition of a gateway of the twelfth century at Dompont. A letter was then read from the Abbé Texier, stating that he was busily engaged in a