Antiquaries in the Age of Romanticism: 1789-1851 - Queen Mary ...
Antiquaries in the Age of Romanticism: 1789-1851 - Queen Mary ...
Antiquaries in the Age of Romanticism: 1789-1851 - Queen Mary ...
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considered view <strong>of</strong> Noviomagus, that ‘Never-last<strong>in</strong>g City, whence our name’, a subject<br />
on which he began to enterta<strong>in</strong> ‘very serious doubts’. 65<br />
The result, unquestionably <strong>of</strong> my pr<strong>of</strong>ound researches <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> subject. For I beg <strong>the</strong>e to observe, my<br />
beloved son, that <strong>the</strong> deeper we antiquaries delve, <strong>the</strong> deeper we get <strong>in</strong>to obscurity and darkness…<br />
Ant<strong>in</strong>ous frons laeta parum et dejecto lum<strong>in</strong>a vulto, was probably a very beautiful youth, but I do not<br />
believe that he wrote an It<strong>in</strong>erary <strong>of</strong> Brita<strong>in</strong>, or <strong>in</strong> truth ever travelled <strong>in</strong> our country. It cannot be on his<br />
authority, <strong>the</strong>refore, that Burton <strong>in</strong> his Commentary (see page 373) endeavours to establish <strong>the</strong> site <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
city called Noviomagus at or near Croydon (<strong>the</strong> Creden <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Cockneys) tho Talbot <strong>in</strong>cl<strong>in</strong>es to <strong>the</strong> same<br />
op<strong>in</strong>ion Dr Stukeley, <strong>in</strong>deed, was wiser, for albeit <strong>in</strong> his It<strong>in</strong>erarium Curiosum he stood out for Croydon for<br />
a while, he by and by came over with Talbot to <strong>the</strong> negative ...Camden, Gale and Horsley swear that it was<br />
at Woodcote... I come to <strong>the</strong> obvious and certa<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>ference, de non apparentibus et de non existentibus<br />
(Ropers Lat<strong>in</strong> passim) eadem est natio, that it never had any existence at all, except <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> noddle <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
Vice President. 66<br />
Like <strong>the</strong> outpour<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>of</strong> Don Quixote’s agitated bra<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Noviomageans could<br />
picture <strong>the</strong>mselves as figments <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir friend’s imag<strong>in</strong>ation and <strong>in</strong> that capacity <strong>the</strong>y<br />
happily acted out a parodic antiquarianism, delv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> dark, referr<strong>in</strong>g always to<br />
predecessors <strong>in</strong> order to quibble, quarrel and come to no conclusions <strong>of</strong> consequence. In<br />
June 1839 on <strong>the</strong> annual out<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> members went to Keston ‘<strong>in</strong> due state’ to ‘rum<strong>in</strong>ate<br />
upon <strong>the</strong> foundation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir City <strong>of</strong> NOVIOMAGUS’. 67 Here, it was announced,<br />
The Citizens will perform a solemn Dance around <strong>the</strong> site <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Temple <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> W<strong>in</strong>ds, beneath <strong>the</strong> mighty<br />
War Bank adjacent to <strong>the</strong> great encampment <strong>of</strong> Caesar! Pour<strong>in</strong>g libations upon <strong>the</strong> hallowed spot from <strong>the</strong><br />
meander<strong>in</strong>g waters <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Ravensborne, whose ever flow<strong>in</strong>g streams supplied <strong>the</strong> Roman Legions –nay <strong>the</strong><br />
mighty Caesar himself- eighteen centuries ago! 68<br />
After which <strong>the</strong>y adjourned to d<strong>in</strong>ner at Bromley.<br />
65<br />
Wellcome Library, ms 5303, undated letter from Jerden to Croker.<br />
66<br />
Wellcome Library, ms 5303, undated letter from Jerden to Croker.<br />
67 th<br />
Wellcome Library, ms 5303, pr<strong>in</strong>ted programme for <strong>the</strong> 11 anniversary out<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
68 th<br />
Wellcome Library, ms 5303, pr<strong>in</strong>ted programme for <strong>the</strong> 11 anniversary out<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
31