Mr. Waterhouse remarks on the mechanical merits of the brooch, that the gold wire of which the inlaid designs in the front are made, and mounted on flat plates, has defied the best filagree workers of the present day to account for its manufacture; for, unlike works of art in general, the more highly the brooch is magnified, the more beautifully ingenious the work appears, developing patterns indiscernible to the naked eye. "The patterns in the front are gold filagree, inlaid below the level of the surface, and the back, and the outer and inner edges are covered with designs cut out of the solid, and strongly gilt. The amber settings are the only parts showing any symptoms of decay after the lapse of so many centuries." This exquisite brooch has been fully described by Mr. O'Neill in his interesting work on "The Fine Arts and Civilisation of Ancient Ireland," to which we refer our readers for much information on early Irish art.*

Another excellent example, dug up near Galway, in 1853, was found in the remains of a tumulus. It is of base silver, and measures 2 inches in diameter; the acus, which traverses the ring freely, being 42 inches in length. The extremities, where the ring is divided, are formed with circular ornaments, with a small central setting of amber. A third little boss of the same material ornaments the middle of the hoop, and around the circular terminations are set three crescents, and small heads of some animal, which has been regarded by some Irish antiquaries as that of the wolf, but which bears more resemblance to the head and beak of a bird. In the Museum of the Royal Irish Academy are several examples of this type of brooch, of different degrees of ornamentation. One of the plainest is that presented to the museum by the Shannon Commissioners, which is here engraved. It is penannular, broad, flat, and almost plain below the hoop, which plays in the slightly decorated wide loop of the pin, which is 7 inches in length. A precisely similar one, of bronze, found in County Roscommon, belonging to Mr. Hoare, is engraved in the Archæological Journal, Vol. VII., p 79. In it the penannular part is cut in two. Mr. Hoare thinks that brooches might have been worn in the hair, to fasten the luxuriant tresses for which the Celtic race of the Irish women are still remarkable, and have served the same purpose as the Spintro, commonly used

* Messrs. Waterhouse, of Dame Street, Dublin, the owners of the "Tara Brooch," have produced copies of that splendid example of early Irish art, of a reduced size, for ladies' wear. They have also produced, in a like manner, copies of other celebrated ancient fibulæ in the Museum of the Royal Irish Academy and other collections, including the famous one with Ogham inscription, found at Ballyspillan, and other

by the females in Italy. Another, of very similar form, but with the ring twisted-a very unusual feature-was found in a tumulus at Largo, in Fifeshire. It is of silver, and measures 5 inches in diameter. The acus is lost. The penanular part is cut in two to admit of the acus passing through.

The next example, which I have selected for illustration, will be found on Plate XI. The first figure on this plate represents a brooch of a different type, in which three bars occupy the centre of the ring, which is jewelled. The pin in this example is 4 inches in length. The brooch engraved is of its real size. The next figure is a beautiful example, the ring being jewelled and highly ornamented with interlaced patterns, and the head of the pin, or acus, raised above its usual level into the form of a human head, covered with the hood or cowl of the ancient cochall cloak of the Irish. Another curious example, found in a barrow at Skryne, near Tara, County Meath, and belonging to Mr. Brackstone, is figured in the Archaeological Journal, Vol. XVIII. p. 165. In it the acus is clipped by two floral ornaments, the cavities of which have evidently been filled with enamels

or other settings. This fibula was found at Skryne, County Meath, about 7 feet below the surface-with a deposit of burnt bones, flints, and ashes-in 1849, and is here engraved.

The remaining three examples of early Irish Art, which I have given on Plate XI., I have selected for purposes of comparison, as to style of ornamentation, with the Derbyshire example under notice.

examples, which will be familiar to antiquaries by the engravings of Vallancy and Fairholt. These modern reproductions of ancient art by Messrs. Waterhouse, who cannot be too highly commended for the taste and enterprise they have displayed in producing them, are characterised by the most scrupulous fidelity in form, and by the most skilful and beautiful workmanship, and are perfect gems of art. It is particularly gratifying to see in these works, an evidence of the growing taste for the beautiful in ancient art among the ladies of the present day. Nothing could be more elegant and pure in style, or more exquisitely delicate in detail, than they are, and it is with great pleasure that we call attention to them. Amongst all the modern revivals of ancient art, they are, perhaps, the most successful, and certainly the most pleasing, which have come under our notice, and are such as ought to receive a most extensive patronage.

It will be seen how closely, in some respects, the styles of workmanship resemble each other, and how evidently they all belong not only to the same age, but to the same race of people. It is curious, and highly interesting, to show this intimate connection between the remains of the Celtic population of Ireland and those of the Midland district of England-a connection, or rather if I may use the term, a oneness, which I hope in future articles more carefully and more at length to point out. This connection is apparent, not only in the splendid penannular brooch recently found, but in the torque, the celt, and other remains of those distant ages which have been from time to time discovered.

The mode in which these fibulæ were manufactured by the artist, although little if any thing has ever been written on the point, is worthy of careful consideration. I throw out a hint or two, hoping that future research on the part of those who have a fuller opportunity ef examining the Irish specimens, may lead to the question being well considered and satisfactorily settled. That these brooches and other personal ornaments were cast, there can be no doubt; but it has been usually thought that they were cast solid, and then the interlacings and other ornaments cut in by the artist. This I feel no hesitation

in considering to be an error, and I believe when they first came out of the mould they were as full of ornament as they were when entirely finished by the artificer. It appears to me, that a solution of the matter may be looked for in the curious collection of carved bones in the Museum of the Royal Irish Academy, which are described and figured in Mr. Wilde's Catalogue of that collection. These engravings, by the kind permission of the Council of the Academy, I am enabled to reproduce in illustration of my present paper. Of these singular