Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 29.djvu/49

 (of gold), was a beautiful bust of Abundantia, in intaglio, and of smaller dimensions: one of the most interesting pieces in the Hertz collection. The Marlborough cabinet possesses a fine sardonyx cameo of a hippocampus, retaining its original and curiously-constructed gold framing for the same purpose; not to mention its numerous and magnificent examples of the Cinque-cento jewels of the same nature, the first idea of which was evidently borrowed from similar legacies of antiquity; lastly, may be adduced of all others that most interesting illustration, the great cameo of St. Alban's (of whose specific virtues Matthew Paris has left so full and amusing a history, together with an invaluable drawing by his own hand), which was in a silver frame of elegant pattern of the same opus interrasile, the taste of which bespeaks a higher period than the rude Saxon king's who presented it to the monastery. It is true that large circular camei were also used for ornamenting, or rather composing, fibulæ (the usual destination of the Medusa heads so common in relief), a fine example of which is the one fastening the mantle on the shoulder of the Spada Pompey; but as a much more substantial frame for our paste would have been required in such an employment, it may more reasonably be supposed to have been mounted, and worn as a pendant jewel.

I have left for the last the determination of the most important question of all—the personage represented in this noble specimen of ancient portraiture. An antiquary, distinguished by his zealous investigations of Roman remains in Northumberland and the parts adjacent, discovers in this cameo a portrait from the life of Antinous himself, whom he furthermore supposes to have accompanied his imperial patron into Britain, and to have left behind him this imperishable memento of the honour done by his visit to the barbarians of the North. But, unfortunately for this romantic hypothesis, the celebrated favourite of Hadrian made no pretensions to feminine loveliness, but gained the admiration of the world as the most perfect embodiment of the Grecian idea of male beauty—the ancient Achilles returned to life. This is proved by the noble Marlborough gem of him in that very character,