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MONUMENTAL BRASSES. 229

legged attitude in certain military effigies, which has attracted so much attention and led to such unfounded theories; leaving also the canopies, architecture, and other accessories, and the cost of their production, — I proceed to remark, that the earlier examples of these engraven monuments you will find to be the best as works of art : the plates are of harder metal, thicker, and in all respects better prepared ; the designs are dis- tinguished by a simplicity, breadth, and boldness, which gradually disappeared in process of time ; the art work- manship is firmer than in later brasses, more expressive, more artistic. The true power and capacity of outline were thoroughly understood by the earlier brass- engravers.

The same may be said with reference to the brasses which prevailed in particular districts. In all cases, however, fidelity of representation was rigidly observed. To personal portraiture, as we now understand the term, these artists paid but little regard ; they seem, indeed, to have considered it unnecessary to impart to the counte- nances of their figures more than the distinctive charac- teristics of sex, and of youth or age, as the case might be. The figures themselves varied in size, from the full proportion of life to 18 or 15 inches ; but the costume and armour of the time in which the brass was engraved were always the costume and armour indicated on the brass. And since, as a general rule, the brasses were engraved and laid down immediately after the decease of the person represented, the date of the brass and of the commemorative inscription may usually be regarded as identical. Exceptions to this rule will be observed by the student of brasses ; they arise chiefly from a habit which prevailed with some persons (and more particu- larly amongst ecclesiastics) of having their brasses