In her scullery,

Item xj. white chargers, weing togethirs
Item 1. white platters, weing togethirs
Item xj. white disshes, weing togethirs

In her sawcery, Item xj. white sawcers, weing togethirs

In her pitcherhous,

Item one pot, parcell gilte, weing Item two boolles playne parcell gilte, with lowe feete weing

Parcell of the Serjeaunt of the Ewry indentures,

Item a baison and an ewer parcell gilte, weing

MR. URBAN,-Having been struck, during a recent visit to Bavaria, with the existence of several convents bearing the name of "The English Ladies" (or sisters), "die Englandische Fraulein," I was induced to make some inquiries as to the origin of these institutions, and I think it may be interesting to some of your readers if I communicate to you the following result.

The persecution of the English Catholics by Queen Elizabeth led to the establishment of seminaries and convents for their education in various parts of the continent. Among these were the English colleges for priests at Douay, Rome, Valladolid, St. Ömer, and Louvain, and the college for Scotch Benedictines at Ratisbon. Miss Mary de Ward, of the old catholic family of de Ward, in Yorkshire, was a zealous adherent to the ancient faith, and it is to her bounty that the English convents now existing in Bavaria owe their foundation. She was born 23rd January, 1585, at Mollwith Castle, in Yorkshire, and was baptized Johanna, but at her own earnest desire she received the holier name of Mary, or Maria, at her confirmation. Her father, Marmaduke de Ward, was descended from Edgar de Ward, who came over from Normandy, and fought in the battle of Hastings. The name" Ward" is the same as "Guard" in Norman French, the Gu being in English changed into W, as in William from Guillaume, and other words. Mary's mother was Ursula Wright (daughter of William Wright, of Pluland, and of Mary, a descendant of the Earls of Rudstone), who, when she married Marmaduke de Ward, was the childless widow of the constable of Hattefield. Mary de Ward had two brothers, of whom the elder fell in a duel, and the younger, George, entered into the order of Jesuits; also two sisters, Barbara, who died a nun, and

Yours, &c.

J. B.

Her

Elizabeth, who remained in the world; but whether she was married or left issue I have not been able to ascertain. descendants would be the representatives in the female line of this ancient family.

Mary de Ward, having in conjunction with other English ladies established the convent of St. Omer in the year 1609, founded a convent at Munich in 1626, with the sanction and encouragement of the then elector Maximilian-Emanuel and his wife Elizabeth. The institution occupied for many years the building which is now used as a police-office, but was afterwards removed to the preferable situation of Nymphenburg near Munich, close to a country palace of the king, whose gardens and fountains have long been celebrated. The lady superior is at present Mademoiselle di Graccho. The sisters are chiefly Bavarians, but foreigners are equally admissible with natives, and there is now an English, an Italian, and a French sister in the convent. A candidate for admission must, if not already a Catholic, declare her readiness to become so; there is a period of probation, in the ordinary dress of the world; then a noviciate of two years; and finally the oath is taken as a nun, and the maiden becomes for ever the "chaste bride of heaven." The English ladies of Munich are, as I was informed, in very good repute, as well as those of the affiliated convents at Augsburg, Günzburg, and Aschaffenburg, all of which are colonies from Mary de Ward's foundation.

Miss Mary de Ward died in England at the convent of Haworth in 1643. The effect of the unjust treatment of the Catholic religion by former English laws, is that the bounty of that pious lady is now enjoyed almost entirely by foreigners. Her benevolent purpose is however not the less entitled to grateful commendation. Blessed be her memory! Yours, &c. London, April 1st. PEREGRINUS.

The

The work of University Reform is now in progress at Oxford, in pursuance of the provisions of the recent Act of Parliament. In a Congregation held on the 13th of March a vote which established the principle of an exemption of Dissenters from the Divinity portion of the examinations was carried by a majority approaching to two-thirds, placet 68, non-placet 26. Another clause of the same statute, which provided that there should be some substitute for the portion of the examination from which Dissenters are to be excused, was likewise opposed, but carried by 61 votes to 37. On the 20th March a statute was passed regulating the appointments to the various Professorships. On the 23rd the statute prepared by the Hebdomadal Council on the subject of Private Halls was promulgated in Congregation. following is an outline of this arrangement: -The head of a Private Hall is to be a Master of Arts or other member of Convocation, and to have resided during one year in the last two years, or two years in the last five, or three years in the last ten, preceding the opening of his Hall. He is to take part in the instruction, but may have an assistant or tutor, to be approved by the Vice-Chancellor. The head of the hall is to keep a register of the residence kept by his pupils, which he is to communicate terminally to the registrar of the university. The pupils are to attend daily prayers in a parish church or college chapel. The Vice-Chancellor is to inspect and approve of the house intended for a private hall before licensing it; and, in case of an hall being ill-conducted, he is, with the advice of the Assessor of the Chancellor's Court, and four persons to be named annually for the purpose, to take proceedings against the head, and suspend or deprive him. A private hall may become a public one, if the building is conveyed to the university, and the appointment of the Principal placed in such hands as the university approves.

The late Dr. Johnson's scholarships have been awarded as follows:-The Theological to Charles Edward Oakley, Demy, Magdalen; the Mathematical to Samuel Courthope Bosanquet, B.A. Student of Christ

Church. The Ireland Scholarship is given to Mr. Robinson Ellis, Scholar of Balliol college (1st Class, Mich. 1854).

The Arnold prize, for an essay on "The Roman Colonies under the Empire," has been awarded to Mr. G. C. Brodrick, B.A. of Balliol college.

The Rev. F. Fanshawe, M.A. Fellow and Tutor of Exeter college, Oxford, has been appointed by the Warden and Fellows of New college to the Head Mastership of Bedford school, vacant by the resignation of the Rev. Dr. Brereton. As many as thirty-three candidates had offered themselves.

The bill entitled "An Act for the Good Government and Extension of the University of Cambridge, of the Colleges therein, and of the College of King Henry VI. at Eton," is now in circulation. It provides for the reform of the University, under the direction of certain commissioners, whose powers are to continue till Jan. 1, 1858, and, if need be, may be extended till Jan. 1, 1859.

The University having accepted a fund. raised by several members of St. John's college for the purpose of founding a prize to be called the Adams Prize, for the best essay on some subject of pure mathematics, astronomy, or other branch of natural philosophy, the prize to be given once in two years, and to be open to the competition of all persons who have been admitted to a degree, the subject for the prize to be adjudged in 1857 is "The Motions of Saturn's Rings." The succesful candidate will receive about 1307. is required to print the essay at his own expense, and to present a copy to the University Library, to the Library of St. John's college, and to each of the four examiners. This prize is named in honour of the English discoverer of the planet Neptune.

He

Dr. Whewell, the Master of Trinity college, has resigned the Professorship of Moral Theology or Casuistical Divinity, which he has held since the year 1838. The election of a new Professor will take place on the 22d of May.

The Bell Scholarships have been awarded to Edward Ernest Brown and Edmond

Henry Fisher, both of Trinity college, bracketed as æquales.

On the 14th March a grace for confirming the recommendation of the Fitzwilliam Syndicate to accept the pictures of the late Archdeacon Hare at the price of 1,000l. they being of a much larger value, was opposed in both houses. The numbers were:-In the Non-Regent House, placets 30, non-placets 15; in the Regent House, placets 30, non-placets 12. It was therefore carried by a majority of the whole Senate of 60 to 27.

A new room has been opened in the British Museum, devoted to many of those relics of Greek art that have long been lying about like lumber in the vestibules and passages of the building. A magnificent antique statue, in red marble, was purchased for the British Musenm at the late sale of M. Collot's collection at Paris. A fresh importation has also arrived from Nineveh, filling 159 cases. It comprises a miscellaneous collection of small slabs, seals, pottery, and other objects, bearing more upon the domestic life of the ancient inhabitants of Mesopotamia than the pieces hitherto deposited in the British Museum. The new Reading-room, which is to occupy the area of the central quadrangle, is now rapidly advancing, and its cupola begins to show itself above the adjacent buildings. This room will be one of the finest in the world, being some feet larger than the dome of St. Peter's at Rome. It will be a circular apartment, of 140 feet diameter, and 106 feet high, lighted by 20 windows, at the springing of the dome, and by a glazed aperture in the crown of it, 40 feet in diameter. The superintendent will sit on a raised platform in the centre, surrounded by two concentric ranges of table and cases, for catalogues, &c. The tables for readers will radiate from these as a centre, a small segment of the circle being partitioned off to give free access for the attendants going to and from the library, and for the temporary deposit of books in transitu. Allowing upwards of 4 feet for each reader, there will be room for 336 readers. The interior space will be about 14 million of cubic feet, and this ample volume of air will be constantly and gradually renewed by a provision for summer and winter ventilation. Between the entrance-hall and the reading-room will be the cloak-rooms and other offices; the remainder of the new building being appropriated to the reception of upwards of a million volumes of books. The bookcases are to be of wrought iron, and in the construction of the libraries, and of the central dome, bricks and iron are exclusively used.

The dome will be covered with

copper. The galleries in the readingroom will be of slate, those throughout the rest of the new building of perforated cast iron. It is proposed to introduce a series of statues around the room, at the springing of the dome, and a suggestion has been made that the unglazed portions of the cupola should be decorated with paintings. There are obvious objections to the latter proposition, besides any questions of expense. If the room is to be one devoted to study, either the general public, who had paid for the paintings, would be excluded, or, being admitted, they would perpetually incommode the readers.

Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton's gold medal, for the best essay by a student of the University of Edinburgh, "On the influence of the mind over the body in causing and curing morbid and anomalous conditions." has been adjudged to John Glen, M.A. student of medicine, son of the late Rev. Dr. Glen, for many years missionary in Persia.

The Duke of Argyll was installed Lord Rector of the University of Glasgow on the 29th March; and Henry Layard, esq. D.C.L., M.P. for Aylesbury, was installed Lord Rector of Marischal College, Aberdeen, on the 5th of April.

Sir G. C. Lewis has been elected to succeed Sir E. Bulwer Lytton as honorary President of the University of Edinburgh for 1855-57.

Thomas Graham, esq. M.A., F.R.S., Professor of Chemistry at University College, London, succeeds Sir John Herschel as Master of the Mint, who has resigned the office from a wish to reside entirely at his country residence, where his congenial studies may be undisturbed. Professor Graham's reputation as a scientific chemist is European.

The Governor-General of India has raised the salary of Dr. O'Shaughnessy, the superintendent of electric telegraphs in India, to 3,6007. per annum.

The King of Prussia has presented to Mr. Samuel Birch, F.S.A. of the British Museum, a copy of the great work on Egypt, published at Berlin, and edited by Chevalier Lepsius, entitled "Denkmäler aus Aegypter und Aethioper." The gift is a very graceful compliment, and one well earned.

Her Majesty has marked her sense of the valuable services of the late Mr. John Montagu, Colonial Secretary at the Cape of Good Hope (the subject of an article in our present Number), by settling upon his widow a pension of 3007. a-year.

Dr. Ratkhe, Senior Professor of the University of Christiana, in Norway, who died at the end of March, has bequeathed a large library and a very valuable collec

tion of objects of natural history to the University.

The Imperial Library of Paris has received 500 donations of books, manuscripts, medals, antiquities, &c. in the course of the past year. Amongst them are several Russian and Armenian books and manuscripts of considerable value; some medals of Thrace, Macedonia, and Boeotia, an interesting collection of the coins of the sovereignties founded in Asia by the Crusaders, and a collection of ancient coins and medals of America. But the most valuable acquisition consists in 12 stones found in the ruins of Carthage, and bearing Latin inscriptions, some of them very curious, and a series of admirably executed mosaics. This donation was made by a society, consisting of the Duke de Luynes, the Count Portalès, and other eminent archeologists, formed some time ago to make searches on the site of ancient Carthage.

The sale of Lord Rutherfurd's Library produced about 70007. His well-selected volumes were almost all elegantly bound and in fine condition. They are chiefly dispersed among private collections in Scotland.

The valuable Library of the late Archibald M'Lellan, esq. of Glasgow, has also been sold, in that city, by Messrs. Brown and Macindoe. The collection was peculiarly rich in books on the fine arts, including all the best treatises on painting, sculpture, drawing, and engraving, and many illustrated works of English and foreign scenery. Of books on architecture, civil and ecclesiastical, there was a good collection, most of Mr. Britton's works, and copies of Mr. M'Lellan's own essay on Glasgow Cathedral, with the plans and elevations of the additions and restorations.

Mr. Law's Collection of Autographs, lately brought to the hammer by Messrs. Puttick and Simpson, contained some examples of more than usual interest. The following brief list will show the measure of appreciation awarded to such matters: -Lot 4, a letter of Joseph Addison, 27. 88. Lot 21, a letter of Lord Bacon, enlarging on the happiness of having a good wife, 157. Lot 42, a letter of James Boswell, 31. Lot 60, a letter of Robert Burns, 41. 158. Lot 65, a letter of the reformer John Calvin, 97. 98. Lot 78, a letter of the great Lord Chatham, inclosing verses to David Garrick, 137. 10s. Lot 139, a letter of Frederick Prince of Wales and the Princess Augusta, on one sheet, 57. 158. Lot 147, a letter of David Garrick, 41. 48. Lots 154 and 155, two letters of Oliver Goldsmith, 157. 128. Lots 272 and 273, two letters of Mary, Queen of William

III. 7. 188. Lot 327, a short letter of Sir Isaac Newton, as Master of the Mint, declining to recommend to mercy a convicted counterfeiter of the coin then under sentence of death, 41. Lots 404 to 406, three letters of Sir Richard Steele, 81. 18. Lot 444, a letter of George Washington, 51. Lot 460, a letter of John Wesley, 31. 38. Lot 478, a letter of Sir Christopher Wren, 31. Lot 490, the draft letterbook of S. Pepys, connected with the affairs of Christ's Hospital, 5l. 17s. 6d. There were several letters of Nelson in the collection, in one of which he speaks of his arm as being "in a fair way of healing." These letters sold for about 41. each. It was remarked that all the principal lots sold for more than they have produced at previous auctions.

At a late sale at Messrs. Puttick and Simpson's, a book of pen sketches by Sir Christopher Wren was put up for auction. There were plans for an English Walhalla, or monument to the memory of Charles I. intended for erection in the neighbourhood of Windsor. The Parliament voted 70,000l. for the object; but the Second Charles, with his usual recklessness, spent the money upon wine, women, dice, and fiddlers.

We rejoice over the increasing prosperity and usefulness of the Booksellers' Provident Institution. Steady progress is shown in the yearly increasing income and outlay, and particularly in the amount of relief afforded. In 1840-1, the relief distributed was 1107. pounds,; in 1854 it amounted to 7507: The receipts for the past year, excluding balances, were 1,085. The increase accruing from stock was 7967. which was invested in the purchase of further stock :-3007. were withdrawn. The total capital invested in stock on behalf of the Institution is 21,4001.

At the Annual Meeting of the Artists' Benevolent Fund, held at the Freemasons' Tavern on the 20th March, it appeared by the Report of the Committee, that during the past year 53 widows have been relieved to the amount of 7967. and 32 orphans to the amount of 1351. 178. At the subsequent dinner the Lord Mayor presided, supported by Sir C. Eastlake, Dr. Croly, Mr. D. Roberts, and other Academicians, artists, and patrons of art. Subscriptions amounting to 6117. were announced in the

room.

The appointment of Sir Charles Eastlake as salaried Director of the National Gallery-with large powers and large responsibilities-completes the more important changes needed in the Art department of the public service. From a Director so eminent as a painter, and so intimately acquainted with schools of paintings as Sir