Masterpieces Of The Architecture Of Different Nations.

enclosure surrounds it on all sides ; the space which separates these tivo enclosures is occupied by the houses of the officers of the court , and b y those of the eunuchs , as well as by different tribunals . In the whole appearance of it there is something majestic and imposing . According to the description and even the plan that Father Magaillans gives of it , these palaces or apartments are tAvenfcy

in number , in a straight line from south to north ; twenty others are contained in the interior enclosure of the palace of the Emperor ; ei ght other palaces aucl four temples are situated betAveen the two enclosures ; moreover , there arc twenty-four other palaces for tlie use of the mandarins , and there are also several buildin g , such as pleasure and summer

houses , libraries , shops , offices , stables and other dependencies . The imperial hall is elevated in tlie second court on a terrace about fifteen feet hi g h , lined with white marble and adorned with fluted pillars , artistically worked . It is in front of the hall that all the mandarins range themselves on

certain days of ceremony : it is almost square , aud about one hundred ancl thirty feet in length ; its wainscots are sculptured , varnished in green , ancl covered with golden dragons which are the arms of the Emperor . The columns ivhich sustain the roof withiu have at the base a diameter of about two feet and a half ) and are of wood covered ivith a sort of masticover which is laid a coating of

, red varnish ; the Iloor is partly covered Avith a carpet , after the Turkish fashion , though of a very mediocre execution ; the Avails are without ornaments , without tapestry , Avithout lustres , and Avithout historical paintings . The throne , which is in tho centre of the hall , consists of a canopy , lofty enough , very clean , aud without any other inscription than the

character clang , the signification of which , in our language , corresponds to tho words excellence , perfection , wisdom . On the platform , in front of this hall , are large vases of bronze , in which jjerfttmes are burnt during ceremonies . ( To be continued . )

Archæology.

ARCH ? OLOGY .

BRITISH ARCHAEOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION . Ax the last meeting of this society the chair ivas taken by T . V . Pcttigrcw , Esq ., V . P ., ancl Messrs . S . L . Sotheby and G-. Atkinson , Dr . C . AV . Hood , Rev . J . . lames , M . A ., Rev . J . Hamilton , M . A ., E . G-reenall , and Mr . Thos . Walcot , were elected Associates . Mr . S yer Cuming exhibited drawings of two Celtic swordsmeasuring each twenty-one inches one found at

Wool-, ; pit , Suffolk , the other at Windsor . Dr . Palmer exhibited a bronze dagger , found at Newbury , with bones of the Caledonian ox . He also exhibited a beautiful jet ornament , dug up out of the peat , eight feet below the surface , ivith bones of the red deer , the _ roebuck , and teeth of the Units spehetis . He likewise exhibited tivo ivory carvings , one a valve of a triptychon of the eleventh centurythe other a slabivhich had probablbeen the

, , y cover of a book of the twelfth century . Mr . Bunny , of Newbury , sent two bronze Celtic weapons ; also a small iron barbed arrow , likewise obtained from the peat . Mr . Cumiug exhibited an ivory carving of the birth of the virgin , of the fourteenth century , and two oval medalets of brass of the seventeenth century , bearing profile busts of the virgin coronetcd . Mr . Adnam sent a photograph of a Roman olla of black earth , found at AMennaston .

Mr . T . Wright exhibited specimens of mineral coal , obtained last week from a hypocaust excavated at Wroxeter , thus placing the employment of this material by the Romans for heating their flues beyond further question . Mr . Cecil Brent exhibited a very rare specimen of Fibula , set ivith an amethyst , ancl lately found at Canterbury . Mr . C . fA . Elliott exhibited three Eoman intaglios , set in a gold ring , representing Ceres , a Volumci ) , and a Dol phin .

Mr . S . Wood exhibited some Roman coins of Tetricus the Elder , together with French and Nuremberg Jettons , found near the site of Winchester Palace , Baukside : also some specimens , Greek , Roman , & c , from a fictitious find in Laurence Fountney Lane . The Eev . T . J . Williams , of Penmynydd , Anglesey , sent an account of a curious instrument , discovered at St . Credival Church , built in A . IJ . 030 . Whilst under restoration , the earth forming the floor of the chancel ancl nave Avas found literally impregnated with human bones . No debris of coffins , & c ., could be discovered .

Ihere ivas , however , a turn coating ot lime . The position ot the skulls showed the bodies to have been laid Avith their feet towards the east , and near to each body was found a round while stone , about the size of a moderate potato . Wherever the remains of a body ivere found there ivas a stone : it had probably been placed in the hands of the corpse . On the north side of the chancel arch a heap of these stones ivas found put together , with only a

heap of earth over them . Mr . Williams made reference to a passage in the Revelation ( ii . 17 ) which may throiv light in regard to their application . Mr . Pettigrew produced , by the kindness of Dr . Bunny two very remarkable balls , composed of siliceous sandstone , covered , ivith . a paste of different colours of enamel , representing circles enclosing stars ivith eight points . Only two other specimens are knownand they are now in the British

, Museum . They have been conjectured to be Ancient British , or Roman or Saxon , aud the uses which they may have been applied to—a game , divination , or as emblems of office or poiver . They respectively weighed four and a half and five ounces , and ivere tivo inches iu diameter .

DRUIDIC REMAINS

A very curious discovery has been made near Lille , by some Avorkmen engaged in cutting trenches for the new fortifications . In removing the soil , they laid bare a stone tumulus , which , instead of bones , contained a large block of stone , covered with inscriptions , indicating that it ivas an altar used by the Druids in tlieir sacrifices . The names Ilesus and Teutates , gods adored by the Gaulsare perfectllegible on it . Near the stone a

, y sacred golden knife used by the Druids for cutting the mistletoe was also found . The inscriptions on this stone corroborate the fact already known , that human sacrifices ivere made by the Druids in the times of national calamity . The knife has been placed in the museum of Lille .

DISCOVERY IN GHENT

A discovery of an historical and archaeological kind has very recently been made which has created much interest in the town of Ghent . It ivas ahvays knoivn that the body of Jacques van Artevelde was buried in the church of Byloqne , and that YVantier cle Mey , one of his assassins , made arrangements , by way of expiation for the part ivhich he had taken in the murder , that a lamp should for ei'er be kept burning iu that church before an

image of the A'irgiu ; but it has been recorded by historians that the tomb of Van Artevelde Avas destroyed by the iconoclasts of the fifteenth century , and that his ashes ivere then scattered to the li'inds . That tomb , however , was happily discovered on Friday last , in a state of the most complete preservation ; for , on opening the ground in connection with one of the hospitals of Byloque , for the purpose of laying the foundations of a house for

the director , the pickaxe of one of the Avorkmen struck upon some obstacle , and at a depth of little more than a yard , a stone ivas discovered , which the superintendent took the precaution to have removed with the greatest care , ivhen it was ascertained that this stone formed the covering of a sepulchral vault , in which ivas found a human skeleton , which , Avhen exposed to the air , still remained perfect . A plate of metal ivas also found in the

vault , on ivhich could be read quite distinctly , "Jacob van Artevelde , Upperhoofman , Ilooymaend , . HCCCXLV ., " leaving no doubt as to the identity of the remains , which have in the meantime been left in the vault until some appropriate place can be prepared for tlieir reception , which the citizens of Ghent arc most anxious to provide .

THE CLCTELAXD HILLS , —They who have once visited tho Cleveland hills in the summer Benson , when the purple heather is in full bloom , aud the whin and broom in golden flower ( the whin of ivhioli the great naturalist , Linnaius , is reported to have said that " he envied the land that possessed so golden a treasure" ) thuy who have climbed the rugged heights ot' Carlton Bank , Bvaugliton Bank , Kirby Bank , Easeby Bank , Higheliffl ' e , liosebury Topping , Freeborough , or Eston Jfab , when " the

lark at heaven ' s gate sings" his morning hymn , and blaekbircls , and cushats , and throstles , and linnets make the vale harmonious with their glad notes , or when the playful lambs are frisking about in the green pastures , aud the trout , the minnow , and the chub , with all the finny tribe of the rivulet are sporting in the mountain streams as Phcobus ivith his fiery steeds gains the keystone of the arch of heaven;—they who have looked upon Cleveland in an hour like this , ivill never forget her charms , if the love of nature finds a place within their hearts . — Tweddell .