admirably suited, as in the case of the powder-horns, for the practice of the peculiar forms of his work. Mention of these will be made in the second part of this essay, where the decorative treatment will be more specially considered.

It has already been pointed out that the manufacture of these brooches was more of the nature of an accomplishment than of a trade, for one of the most distinctive features which suggests itself to the observer is that they are far superior in taste than in constructive skill. Within certain limits this may be feasible enough, but in the finer brooches, notably those already mentioned, no doubt can be cast upon the constructive skill which is there displayed, for the reproduction of facsimiles of some of them has taxed before to-day the skill of the modern jeweller, whose only boast, if we may judge from what he generally accomplishes, is skill in execution.

Even in many of the brass brooches the very intricacy of design implies no small amount of constructive skill so far as that skill may be employed in the execution of the artistic part of the work.

In casting the Celtic brooches an open mould appears to have been generally used, as the back of the brooch presents "the natural surface of the casting cooled in contact with the atmosphere," unless where it was afterwards worked over. In the case of many of these brooches it is but fair to remark that the obverse and reverse are equally engraved. A remarkably fine example of this is marked N. G., 124, in the Edinburgh Museum catalogue. It is impossible to say that more care has been expended on one side than on the other, but we must not thereby conclude that there was any unnecessary decoration, for it is more than likely that these brooches were intended to be worn to show either side. Their flat form and the construction of the pin that fastened them point to the same conclusion.

Allusion has already been made to the strong possibility of the existence of an early and considerable commerce in connection with metals. This seems to have been of a twofold nature; there was the gradual introduction of the finished article from Cornwall and the south to the rude northern tribes that were to prove so apt pupils. "The spoils of war more probably than any peaceful exchange of commodities first introduced the bronze weapons of Cornwall"; but this accounts after all for but little, as it leaves out of consideration the other question that refers to the beginnings of the craft itself amongst these northern Celts. For an explanation of this we must fall back upon the fact that barter in early times was as potent in disseminating articles as it was for instance in the

trade of the Hudson Bay Company. America of prehistoric times furnishes, as a matter of fact, an extremely convincing illustration of this barter in the diffusion over the whole breadth of the continent of the copper found round the Great Lakes. As it was there, so it must have been on a smaller geographical scale in our own islands. The presence of tin in Scotland has already been mentioned as affording evidence of this early commerce, since that metal does not exist in a native state in the northern country. The north seems to have served its apprenticeship to the south, and it was from that quarter that the manufactured article was first brought as well as the raw material which made it possible for any production of bronze implements in Scotland at all. Chantré in his "Age du Bronze writes of his own country in words that are apt enough to the case in hand, "A mesure que la métallurgie s'implante dans le bassin du Rhône, nous voyons l'art et la civilisation se developper en proportion. Ces hommes naguère sauvages, deviennent négociants et artistes; ils ont besoin de bronze et pour se le procurer quand ils ne le recovent pas tout fabriqué, ils ne recherchent les elements constitutifs, le cuivre et l'étain. Ils entreprennent alors des voyages lontains, notamment pour obtenir ce dernier métal qui ne se trouve pas dans nos pays."

Metal work in later times had of course a close enough connection with commerce. Foreign countries, notably Holland, from whence there was a large importation of arms after the revolution of 1688, were no doubt a considerable factor in improving our supply of arms and armour; but we must not forget that these imports were only superadded and never in any way superseded things of native origin. In fact the effect might probably be little more than was the influence of the Romans and the Vikings upon the artistic side of the metal-workers' craft.

Enough has been said to show that the metal-work of our country was a national industry, even earlier than we might at first thought imagine; the abundance of the remains and the extent over which these are found alike point to the same conclusion. It was emphatically not an industry of great firms; there were no lock-outs and no strikes in these good old days. Every man worked more or less for his own hand; he made the article from start to finish; it was essentially his handiwork. Few modern workmen even get a chance of feeling that sense of satisfaction the maker has in completely making anything; we won't allow him to make even a pair of boots nowadays. Increased facilities for production are not always an unmixed good, but we must bow to circumstances which are even stronger than ourselves.

THE HEIRESS OF TREGON WELL.

A STORY OF OLD CORNWALL.

By E. L. T. HARRIS-BICKFORD.

CHAPTER II.

Lord Crayburne-Opinions Gratis-Maternal SupervisionCrayburne Court-A Drawing-Room Drama-The Rev. James Withiel-A Flowery Question!-"Yes! I remember him ”—“ Lunch, my Lady!"-Mental Disquietude-Off by Rail.

LORD CRAYBURNE was a man of the world a wealthy

man. Of age, young, and unmarried, he carried on his own sweet will, and became a very butterfly of society. No social gathering was complete, no party intact without him. A very god, he frequented "the Row," the theatres, and took life easy.

A gentleman in every respect, save one, was Lord Crayburne he had a terrible temper. His valet knew it, experientia docet! his dog knew it; and, more important than all, he knew it himself!

But despite these eruptions now and then of the erratic element, his society was courted everywhere. Lady Gertrude Stone, and Miss Matilda Molyneaux, fifth sister of the Earl of Kenegie, had a deal to say about him, "so fascinating, you know," and all that sort of thing. The only wonder was that the young lord's vanity didn't utterly ruin, or, at least, upset him.

He was neither decidedly bad-looking, nor particularly striking, that is, in feature; his bearing was au fait. Of course, it did not tell you plainly that he was a lord, or what he was; but then it told in his behalf, especially with the fair sex, and that was everything.

A good man spoiled by society, and not improved, was his lordship; a dandy, and a man of consequence. Though seated in the House of Lords, he knew enough not to venture

on "important topics.' In the art of speaking, a little afterdinner preamble was as much as he could manage—no one could propose the health of the bride and bridegroom better, or more felicitously respond to "the Chair." Nor did ever anyone hear that Lord Crayburne was a mauvais sujet; far from that. He was "a very nice young man," according to several "nice young ladies," and considering that his head was not visibly turned by the constant glamour of society, really there was much to be adduced in his favour after all. He was decidedly capable of development-but was not exactly in a position where development would capably occur. Amid philosophers, and the like, the young lord undoubtedly would have freed his nature from much of the flimsy element, assuming in its stead a sterner sway of thought. There was one infliction, however, from which he suffered terribly-his mother's supervision! It palled on him. An only son, she adored him, thought him above and beyond all men, and, what was worse, in the end made him consider himself so.

Moreover, she considered it a necessity, that, being rich, he should marry riches, and thus augment his already considerable property. To this end her ladyship kept her eyes wide awake that no twenty-pound-a-year governess, or poor person, even if a lady born and bred, should successfully angle for him.

As for her son, her word to him, with few exceptions, was law; no matron ever wielded a sceptre co-equal with hers. Indomitable, resolute, keen, verging on the crafty, she swept through society, warding off dangers, and creating perplexities ever and anon, in true strategic manner.

Crayburne Court, situated in the county of Somerset, was a superb spot. Wooded, retired, spacious, it was a princely house, and her ladyship was never tired of reminding strangers that it came into the Crayburne family as a gift from Charles the First.

In the leafy month of June, anno domini 1853, in a spacious room, her ladyship's boudoir, was enacted a domestic drama that will throw a gleam of light on our story.

Lady Crayburne, ensconced in an easy-chair, sat reading the last new novel. The subject could not have been very interesting, however, for ever and anon her hand would travel

to her brow, and the rings thereon dazzle and glitter, the effects of sporting with the noon-day sun. What thought could occupy the attention of the Lady of Crayburne Court? What new perplexity, unshorn of mystery, unrivet her attention from a novel?

An inveterate novel-reader was Lady Crayburne, but their contents were forgotten in many cases almost as soon as read. Perhaps it was through study of the actions of others in dramatised situations that had enabled her so far so successfully to combat the amours of her son.

"I wonder where Ronald can be?" she muttered beneath her breath, while a restless uncertainty seemed to pervade her thoughts.

Page after page was turned and re-turned, but there appeared to be no solution to the mystery there!

"Wherever can he be so long? Oaklands is but two miles from here; but those Rectory people are so designing, and he likes them so much, especially that stuck-up daughter of theirs, as though she would ever stand a chance of supplanting me as Lady Crayburne."

Evidently this thought brought not soft healing on its wings, since, entirely unsoothed, her ladyship had recourse to her eau-de-cologne, and laid the book on the table just as Lord Crayburne entered.

"Where have you been, Ronald?" she ejaculated, laying great stress on the second word; "it is nearly lunch-time!"

"Can't help it, mother!" affirmed his lordship, carelessly cool "under fire." "I intended being back before, but you see circumstances prevent sometimes."

Thereupon he dismissed his dog-who had grievously sinned in following him—with a peremptory "Get out, sir!" "You are always so long now at the Rectory, Ronald; I wish you would not make quite so much of those people."

“And why not, mater; they are very friendly, and genial -and-"

در

"Conjunctions are troublesome sometimes," snapped her ladyship; "it is all very well to be neighbourly, of course, but, after that, one must maintain one's position, you know;' delivering which philosophy she sat bolt upright in her chair, and eyed her son through a pair of gold-rimmed spectacles.