Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 9.djvu/279

 NOTICES OF AKCIIAEOLOGICAL TUBLICATK iNS. 200 Tiiiglit permit. Iii regard to these niciuoriab, it may be biiid as truly as of vestiges of more important character — " Qiiis est, (|ucm uon moveat ccrtisshnis monumentis testata, consignataque aiitiquitas ? "' England presents, possibly, as complete and varied a series of Mediaeval Monuments, as may be found in any country. The character of art, progressively shown in these productions, during times when the examples of painting arc to be sought alone in illuminated MSS., has been set forth most fully and attractively, in ably-illustrated works such as those produced by Stothard and Blore, by IloUis, also, and AValler. For the most part, it is in vain that we seek on the continent for that conscientious representation of sepulchral effigies, so essential in publications of this nature. Some exceptions might indeed be cited, and above all the admir- able plates of De Hefner's " Trachten." * The author of the work before us is already known, not only by his abilities as a sculptor, but by his contribution to the *' History of Monu- mental Antiquities," — the Illustrations of the tombs, restored by liis hands, in the Temple church.^ Mr. Richardson has now produced a Monograph, representing a series of effigies, of a much later period, but less known to antiquaries, of great interest also as illustrations of costume, and as elaborate productions of the sculptor's art in the fifteenth century. The tombs at Elford, previously known only through the feeble engravings given in Shaw's " History of Staffordshire," (voL i., p. 384,) comprise some of the finest examples of their age. Such are the effigies of Sir Thomas de Arderne, one of the heroes of Poictiers, and his wife, the heiress of Clifton Campville : he died about 1400. Next in order is the figure of Sir John, son of Thomas Stanle}^ who espoused the grand- daughter of Sir Thomas, heiress of Elford and the Arderne estates. Sir John founded a chantry there in 1474, as inscribed upon the tomb, whereon rests an effigy, presenting the characteristic features of the earliest part of that century, an anachronism which we cannot pretend to explain. The head-piece of this fine example of military costume is, as far as we are aware, unique in form ; and were not the sculptor's scrupulous attention to details well known, we should have suspected this very peculiar contour might be the result of that well-intentioned fashion of " restoration," which leaves the student of modiseval art so deplorably at a loss to discriminate between what is original, and what is conjectural, between the touches of the chisel in the fifteenth, and the scraper of the nineteenth century ! We are, moreover, informed that the basinet in question was " much worn in transverse channels, as though produced by the constant dripping of water." We are next brought to tlie effigy of a child, of the same distinguished race, as appears by a little scutcheon of the Stanley arms, with this touching inscription — Ihi dolor ihi digitus. The right hand is raised to the side of the face, and in the left there is a ball, supposed traditionally to have caused premature death. Elford pre- sents also an example of a curious but ungraceful fashion in monumental memorials, namely, an effigy, represented as if the upper and the lower portion of the coffin lid were removed, so that the head and arms are seen, ' Cicero, de Divinatione, lib. 1. work, published in numl)cr8, was noticed - Costume du Moycu Age, d'apres des in a foriiuT volume. Archaeol. Journal, Monumens contcmporains. Par J. de vol. ii. p. ■212. It is now near completion. llel'uer, Maiiheim, 4to. This valuable ■♦ Noticed, Journal, vol. ii. p. 4 H>.