Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 29.djvu/357

 NOTICES OF ARCH^OLOGICAL PUBLICATIONS. 301 The book is, however, of groat vahio to the reader who desires to mako himself ac([uaintod with the legomls and romances which form tiie subjects of so many ancient cai-^'ing.s, paintings, and pieces of tapestry. Tlio author gives us the names of all the chief books in which versions of each story may bo found, together, in some oases, with a brief reference to tho Eastern or other origin of the " plot " of the story. In the course of his introductory remarks, lie is thus able to indicate the place where many othei-s may be found, besides those of which he has given a detailed account, aiul if only as a dictionary of this kind of information, his book, which is prettily printed aud attractive outwardly^ may be found very useful to the student. One of tho critics has blamed Mr. Ranking for not telling more of the origin of some of his tales in tho prolific literature of the East, but he has gone far enough ; and could only have done more by swelling his book to a size aud price which would have wholly defeated its purpose. We have been favoured with the perusal of a very interesting Mono- (jrajJiit by tho Abbo Martigny, iu the form of a letter addressed by hitu to M. Edmond Le Blant, " Sur une Lampo Chrotionne ineditc," dis- covered at Saumur-en-Auxois (Cote-d'Or). On the disk is figured Jonas recumbent beneath a plant, iu front of whom tho marine monster, which, by its action, would seem to have deposited him beneath this umbrtvgeous bower, is represented. Its shade is, however, diminishing, the worm having ah-eady sapped its root, and Jonas raises his hand over his head to protect it from the sun's rays. The writer refere to other lamus bearing this well-known type, and particularly to two, oue figured by Bellori, having the Good Shepherd iu the centre surrounded by the cycle of Jonas, Noah, the sun and moon, &c., the other iu the Vatican. Also to a fn^^ment of a terra cotta vessel in the Kircheriau Museum. He further refers to a bronze lamp figured by Bellori, on which the Jonas is represented in high relief, beneath the large ring handle fjr suspension fonned as a branch of gourd, encircling the early form of the ^. The subject on the S;umur lamp differs, however, from the general type in the form and position of tho marine monster and otherwise. The vagueness of tho Biblical description of this monster has permitted the early Ciu-istian artists to vary its form in accordance with their own imagination ; generally it is represented with an enormous head at the end of a long and slender neck, a huge body supported on two paws and prolonged in a spiral tail, terminating with a fan-shaped fin. The tail of that uuder consideration is concealed beneath or behind Jonas, and the position of its body (differing from that generally de- picted) is advanced in a direction away from, while the head is turned towards him, over its back. But the form of the body is more remark- able, iu that its raised back approaches in outline to that of the dolphin or jKiqjoise, or other species of that marine family, probably an intentional resemblance. This idea is supported by the character of the sun'ounding border, composed of small dolphins alternating with ivy leaves, a peculiarity luiiquo on Chrisstiau lamps. Tho learned Abbe writes : " On pourrait, je crois, avec toute vraisem- blauce, applitjuer au sujet i^ui uous occupo tiuelqu'uu des attributs que VOL. XXIX. T T