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THE ANCIENT FONTS OF POWYSLAND. By H. H. C. SUMMERS. IN treating of the Ancient Fonts of Powysland, we propose to take them in separate parts and chronolo- gical order, first, the Norman, then the Early English and Decorated, and lastly, the Perpendicular and Renaissance (first and second periods). This will take us from 1060 to the close of the seventeenth century. Paley very truly points out in a short introductory notice to his Illustrations of Baptismal Fonts, that there is, perhaps, no subject in the whole range of Ecclesiastical Antiquities so difficult to arrange and discuss in all its departments, historical, architectural, and decorative as that of baptismal fonts. Not only is the subject an extremely difficult one, but the period to be covered is large, and the geographical area somewhat extensive. As showing the difficulty of the subject, let it be said that a rude block of stone, hollowed out at the top, with scarcely a moulding or a particle of sculpture upon it, requires in truth a critical and experienced eye to guess at its probable antiquity, for it is manifest that the date of the church in which it may be placed is the most unsafe and unconvincing evidence that can be followed in deciding that of the font. Then, again, little reliance can be placed on the kind of stone used for the font differing from or agreeing with that of the church, as furnishing an evidence of coeval date, for many quarries which supplied rag or small ashlar for building, would not yield large and solid blocks for fonts. In fixing the probable date of the Powysland Fonts, let us go to the examples cited and examined in the