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XV. Dissertation on the Runic Jasper Ring belonging to George Cumberland, Esq. of Bristol: By Francis Douce, Esq. F.S.A.

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 June 2012

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Extract

The explanation of the Inscription on Mr. Cumberland's Runic Ring, which has been presented to the Society by its truly learned Member Mr. Hamper, is, in all respects, so lucid and satisfactory that not a shadow of doubt could have fallen on its accuracy and propriety; but it will be no small gratification to that gentleman to learn, that previously to the application which he received on the subject, a copy of the inscription on the Ring had been conveyed to Professor Finn Magnuren, of the Scandinavian Society at Copenhagen; a person who is said to be extremely well skilled in the knowledge of the ancient Northern languages, and that this gentleman has reduced the inscription to precisely the same words, the parties differing only in one letter, where the advantage is evidently on the side of Mr. Hamper. The gratification must indeed be mutual to these learned investigators.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Society of Antiquaries of London 1827

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References

page 120 note a Heliodor. Ethiop. lib. viii.

page 121 note b Tralliani Opera, edit. 1560, 18mo, pp. 606, 607.

page 121 note c Archæologia, vol. v. p. 71, with an engraving.

page 122 note d De Siglis, cap. xiv.

page 122 note e Wolfius de Amuletis, p. 209.

page 124 note f Plut. Act, iv. Sc. 3.

page 124 note g Antiq. lib. viii. c. 2.

page 125 note h More concerning this ring, transferred in regular succession from Jared, the father of Enoch, to Solomon, may be seen in Licetus, cap. 22, and in D'Herbelot, Biblioth. Orient, pp. 478, 819, folio edition. The Arabians have a book called Salcuthat, expressly on the subject of magic rings.

page 125 note i Aul. Gellius, lib. x. cap. 10.

page 125 note k Lib. xvi. cap. 7.

page 126 note l Bocciu s de Gemmis, p. 76. Marbodseus de Gemmis. Camill. Leonard, de lapid. cap. 7.

page 126 note m Licetus de Annulis, p. 79.

page 127 note n De Boodt, Hist. Gemmarum, cap. 53. In a very scarce and elegant poem by T. Cutwode, intitled “Caltha Poetarum, or the Humble Bee,” 1599, 4to. the goddess Diana is introduced modestly clothing and attiring the heroine of the piece; and, among other offices,

She ties a necklace underneath her chin

Of jasper, diamond, and of topasie:

And with an emrald hangs she on a ring

That keepes just reckoning of our chastitie:

That breaks when Virgins go to venerie.

And therefore ladies, it behoves you well

To walk full warily, when stones will tell.

page 127 note o Licetus de Annulis, pp. 77, 93.

page 128 note p Cardanus de Subtilitate, lib. v. Scaliger contra Cardan: exercit. civ. 8. Gorlsi Dactyliotheca, p. 13. The properties of camphor are most learnedly discussed in Wolfius de Amuletis, cap. ii. sect. 1.

page 128 note q Hooke's Experiments. By Derham, 1726, 12mo, p. 252.

page 128 note r These letters have, indeed, been slightly noticed for their resemblance to the Runes, but at the same time very ignorantly confounded with the Gothic or Ulphilan character, which the Goths long afterwards partially introduced into Spain.

page 129 note s Serenius, in the preface to his English and Swedish Dictionary, p. 19. Ihre de Runarum patria, 1770, 4to, p. 11. We are to presume that it is not the God Odin, but the mortal hero who is meant on this occasion; though many nations have manifested a desire to regard their letters as of divine origin in general, or of ascribing the invention of them to some particular Deities, as the Egyptians to Thoth, the Greeks to Mercury, the Romans to Carmenta, the Hindoos to Bramah, and the Chinese to Fo.

page 130 note t Verelii Runographia, passim. Thomæ Bartholini Antiquitat. Danic. lib. iii. cap. 2.

page 130 note u This term is sometimes applied to the common Runes, from mal or maal, which signifies speech. They are variously spoken of, and with much doubt and uncertainty, the definitions of them being extremely different; but they seem to be the compound letters, and those of a more difficult nature.

page 131 note x Olai Wormii Literat. Runic, cap. 5.

page 131 note y Gloss, vet. Island. Schmid de Alrunis, passim. Fromman de Fascinatione, p. 669, et seq.

page 132 note z Stephani Notae in Olaum Magn. p, 46.

page 132 note a Book vii. chap. 25.

page 134 note b Bartholini Antiquitat. Danic. pp. 660, 661, where the operation of another extraordinaiy charm is recorded.

page 134 note c One of the Councils of Aries seems likewise to have aimed at the magic Runes, when it condemned all phylacteries and characters of a diabolical kind. See Burchardi Decret. lib. x. cap. 33.

page 135 note d Loccenii Antiquitat. Sueo-Gothic, p. 87.