An Account of Several Sepulchral Inscriptions and Figures in Bas-Relief, Discovered, in 1755, at Bonn in Lower Germany. In a Letter to James West, Esquire, Pr. R. S. from John Strange, Esquire, F. R. S.

XXVII. An Account of several sepulchral Inscriptions and Figures in Bas-relief, discovered, in 1755, at Bonn in Lower Germany. In a Letter to James West, Esquire, Pr. R. S. from John Strange, Esquire, F. R. S. Sir, Read Nov. 9, 1769. Your distinguished taste for antiquities, and the zeal you have ever shewn in the preservation of them, encourage me to address to you the following account of some curious remains of Roman antiquity, found a few years since at Bonn in Lower Germany. In a journey to Italy, in the summer of 1757, passing through Germany and the Tyrol, I had opportunities of collecting several ancient Roman inscriptions, which, upon examination afterwards, I found had never been published. Upon my arrival in Tuscany, I therefore communicated them to such, among my literary friends, as delighted in these studies, and my German inscriptions were soon after published by Dr. Lami, professor of theology at Florence (1). (1) Novelle Letterarie di Firenze, t. xxiv. p. 527: The remainder were inserted by Abbé Donati, of Lucca, in a new collection of ancient Roman inscriptions which he has lately published by way of supplement to Muratorii's Thesaurus. But as several of the inscriptions, which I had collected in Germany, were copied from bas-reliefs, which appeared to me to be curious, and very little known, I thought proper to have drawings of them made, and take this opportunity of communicating them to you; desiring at the same time, that you would be pleased to present them, in my name, to the learned Society over which you preside, should you think they merit their attention and acceptance. Permit me at present to give you the following short account of the originals. About May, 1755, in digging some foundations in a garden belonging to his serene Highness the Elector of Cologne, at Bonn in Germany, several ancient Roman sepulchral stones were found. Eight of these, being thought curious on account of the bas-reliefs and inscriptions carved upon them, were soon after fixed up against the wall of an inner open court of the electoral palace at Bonn, where they still remain. The drawings(2), which I have now the honour to send you, are faithful copies of these antiquities, which being in the highest preservation, and the inscriptions upon them containing nothing more than the usual form, it would be impertinent to enter into any particular description of them. I cannot however omit remarking the singular barbarity of the Roman soldiers names in these inscriptions. It will be further (2) See Tab. VIII. and IX. satisfactory to acquaint you, that I wrote some time ago to Father Hartzheim, a learned Jesuit and antiquarian of Cologne (the author of *Veldidena* and several other tracts relating to the antiquities of Lower Germany, and who is since dead), in order to know whether any farther discoveries had been made at Bonn since that time. His answer assured me that nothing more had been found. This is all I have to trouble you with upon the present subject; give me leave, therefore, to assure you, that I shall with pleasure embrace any future opportunity of communicating such particulars, relative to the scope of the Royal Society, as have fallen within the course of my travels; and shall ever esteem their indulgence an ample compensation for my trouble. I have the honour to be, SIR, Your very obedient and humble servant, Cavendish Square, July 10, 1769. John Strange.