Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 6.djvu/478

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NOTES AND QUERIES. ms. vi. NOV. i, 1912.

Giovanni died in A.r>. 800. Later (in 930) it seems to have been removed to a cathedral standing upon the site of the present one, and when this was built (in 1070) it was placed where it is still preserved.

Known as the " Santo Volto " or " Vultus de Luca," it represents our Lord crowned as King, vested in the long pontifical robe of a priest, reigning in front of the tree (not nailed thereon), and sacramen tally dispensing from His wounded feet the benefits of His Passion. The actual figure shows a long, oval face, the eyes half-closed, the nose well defined and aquiline, the lips thick (the upper one covered by hair) ; the beard, whilst it allows the chin to be seen, descends with ends almost in curls, in two separate points. The forehead is high, and there is no trace of any crown of thorns having existed. The hair is thick, divided in the centre, falling in wavy curls over the shoulders, and covering the ears. The vest- ment is fairly low at the neck, and drawn in tight at the waist by a band. The sleeves are wide and almost straight. The feet do not seem to be part of the original work. They are jointed on to the figure, some little way up under the cassock. The jewelled crown appears to have been renewed from time to time. Lucca money current in the twelfth century shows on the obverse this figure wearing a royal one. But a fresh crown is recorded to have been made in the middle of the fourteenth century, and a third in 1552. The present golden crown was the work of Ambrogio Giannoni, a clever worker in precious metals, in 1645. This artist resided at Massa. HARRY HEMS.

Fair Park, Exeter.

If the crucifix were intended to be of the type contemporary with Archbishop Oswald, it should certainly have been designed on the lines pointed out by your correspondent. The sculptor was probably no archaeologist, and he therefore followed the naturalistic treatment now in favour, instead of adopting the mystic method of showing forth the Passion, which, though used in the primitive Church, has ceased to have much significance for men of the present day. It is not unlikely, however, that Oswald never used a portable crucifix as an aid to devotion.

ST. SWITHIN.

The crucifix as described is an anachron- ism. The feet should certainly be separated. On the other hand, it is not necessary that the body should be clad in long robes or that the head should be crowned ; this would

have been following Byzantine examples. I should have suggested the crucifix known as that of the Syrian monk Anastasius, in which Christ wears a short garment falling to the knees and His head is surrounded by a radiating halo. The feet are separated, and rest on a small bracket. L. L. K,

TREATISES ON LONGEVITY (11 S. vi. 330). Will you kindly permit me to add to your editorial note at the above reference ?

The Institute of Actuaries and the Faculty of Actuaries collected and tabulated, a few years ago, the mortality experience of assured lives and annuitants. In these cases the grave defect of general investiga- tions into instances of centenarians is avoided, since assurance companies demand the exact ages, with adequate proofs. As President, at the time, of the Institute of Actuaries, it occurred to me that, on the basis of these facts, the researches of Mr. Thorns might be continued over a wider range and with more accurate data ; and I was accordingly permitted to utilize the experience so collected relating to cente- narians. The whole of the assurance com- panies of this country and the Colonies also furnished me with particulars of their experience upon schedules which I prepared and issued. By the courtesy also of our Government, all the statistics of the National Debt Office (for the sale of annuities) were freely supplied for my inspection. I was thus enabled to publish a volume, in 1905, through Messrs. C. & E. Layton, of 56, Farringdon Street, E.G., under the title of ' On Centenarians and the Duration of the Human Race.' I have there re-examined the instances discussed by Mr. Thorns ; added several authentic cases from the general population ; furnished the analyzed results of the records of the assurance and annuity companies and the National Debt Office ; and presented many curious and interesting observations upon the subject of longevity from ancient and modern writers.

I venture accordingly, without arrogance, to claim exhaustiveness and decisiveness in this work, for, as I have stated, I was enabled to apply rigorously throughout the investigation the two essential criteria of (1) verification of ages and (2) evidence of identity. T. E. YOUNG, F.R.A.S.

One of the best -known works of olden time on this subject is ' La Vita Sobria,' by Luigi Cornaro. He was born in Venice in 1464, and died at Padua in 1566 in the