Retrospections, Social and Archeological. By Charles Roach Smith. (Bell and
Son.)—We are not inclined, nor, indeed, do we feel com- petent to criticise, this book. Mr. Roach Smith gives us pleasant recollections of persons—pleasant, that is, for the most part, for sometimes people have made light of or hindered his archEeological researches, and he cannot forgive them—and recollections, even more pleasant, of places. " Ingoldsby " Barham, Thomas Wright, Thomas Waghorn, and J. B. Planche are among the friends whom he com- memorates. The proceedings of Congresses are described, not with- out an occasional touch of humour. But the chief attraction of the volume will certainly be found in the accounts of Mr. Smith's explora- tions. The " Visits to the Roman Wall," began nearly forty years ago, may be quoted especially as interesting. We were more ashamed than surprised to read, in the account of Binchester (the Roman Vinovia),—" Dr. Hooppell finds that the Church of Escombe was built out of the ruins of Vinovia ; and Dr. Bince tells us that when the estate passed into the hands of the Bishop of Durham (Van Mildert), the mansion was pulled down, and the altars and other antiquities which had been collected were utilised in forming the stoppings ' of a coalpit. An altar to Fortune, by a prefect of cavalry, was rescued at the pit's mouth by Dr. Heine." The Christians of earlier days destroyed images and altars from genuine 'feelings of fear and hatred ; the Vandals whom Mr. Roach Smith describes had no more exalted motive than the greed of gain.
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