Touching the marriage ring, of what style and material it was, and whether formerly, as now, consecrated by prayers to God. Its pattern appears to have been one which has gone out of use, viz. right hands joined, such as is often observed on ancient coins. Tacitus (_Hist._ i. ll.) calls it absolutely _dextras_, right hands. Among us it was called a faith (_una fede._ Comp. Eng. "Plight my _troth_"), and not without precedent, for on the coins of Vitellius, &c. right hands thus joined bear the motto _Fides_. An esteemed writer (Nider), in his _Formicarium_, mentions a rustic virgin who desired to find a material ring as a token of her espousal "_in signum Christiferae desponsationis_," and found a ring of a white colour, like pure silver, upon which two hands were engraved where it was united. It was formerly customary to bless a crown or a ring by prayers. The form of consecration used by the priest is thus given in ancient liturgies: "Bene [symbol, cross] die Domine, Annulum istum et coronam istam, ut sicut Annulus circundat digitum hominis, et corona caput, ita gratia Spiritus Sancti circundet sponsum et sponsam, ut videant filios et filias usque tertiam et quartam generationem: qui collaudent nomen viventis atque regnantis in secula seculorum. Amen." For the crown, see Is. lxii. 1. (E. V. lxi. 10.). The words of Agnes above cited have reference to giving the right hand and a pledge. These particulars are from the _Symbol. Epist. Liber_ of Laurentius Pignorius, Patar. 1628; where, in Ep. I. and XIX., many other references are to be found. B. H. C. * * * * * ANTICIPATORY USE OF THE CROSS.--RINGING BELLS FOR THE DEAD. (Vol. viii., pp. 130. 132.) I trust that the following information may be acceptable to you and the authors of two interesting papers in "N. & Q." (Vol. viii., pp. 130-2.), viz. "Anticipatory Use of the Cross," and "Curious Custom of ringing Bells for the Dead." When encamped, in 1823 or 1824, near the town (not the cantonment) of Muttra, on the river Jumna, a place of celebrated sanctity as the scene of the last incarnation of Vishnoo, the protective deity or myth of the Hindoos, an Italian gentleman of most polished manners, speaking English correctly and with fluency, was introduced to me. He travelled under the name of Count Venua, and was understood to be the eldest son of the then Prime Minister of Sardinia. The Count explained to me that his favourite pursuit was architecture, and that he preferred buildings of antiquity. I replied, that while breakfast was preparing I could meet his wishes, and led him to a large Hindoo edifice close by (or rather the remains), which a Mogul emperor had partially destroyed and thereby desecrated, the place having since been occasionally used by the townspeople as a cattle-shed, or for rubbish.